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Photographic 

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Corporation 


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^s 


fA 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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El 
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n 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul^e 


□    Cover  title  missing/ 
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T 
t( 


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D 


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T 

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o 
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e: 
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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


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Seminary  of  Quebec 
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empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — '■^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUEO"),  or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  Sblon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —«»  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


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method: 


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Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
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et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illuatrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

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A  #EW  •TREA'^ISE 

oFi^ctoisTiAir 


"•#'.! 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


(V    •••^ 


AK  Er^iUR^ED  Aim  IMPROVED  TiptSJON 


^IGIJf AL  fEEAtrSiEj 


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THE  TENBRABLfi  J.  a  do  la  SAIXK, 


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/  27  ICn.  J.  gADLIEB. 

-     •         VZBST  AUXRIOAy, 
VltOM  TBS  IXOBTBUfTQ  PARIfl  |p9mOX; 


v-       NEW   TORKi 
t: k^'US>hESSL  &  CO.,  8T  BARCLAY  STEEKT. 

•    *     BOBTON  j—128  FEDERAL  STRKBT. 

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,c.  Quebec, 


Bibliotb^o^i^' 
Le  Sen^in-urp  d^ 

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A   NEW   TREATISE 

i 

ON    THB                                                         y 

DUTY  OF  A  CHRISTIAN  1 

I 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


BEING 
AN  ENLARGED  and  IMPR 


OF   THE,    ^ 


ORIGINAL    TREATISE;    y^  J 


^, 


'^tn 


WRITTEN  BY 

THE  VENERABLE  J.  B.  de  la  SALLE, 

rOUND>R  OF  THB  OHRISTIAH  80HOOLI. 

Sranslatett  fvom  tfie  jfvtnr!^, 

By  Mrs.  J.    8ADLIER. 


MSRICAN, 
TH  PA.RI3  EDITION* 


«u-= 


, »  E  W  -  Y  0  R  K : 

D   ll  J   SADLIER  Sc  CO.,  31   BARCLAY  ST^ 

BOSTON  : — 12^    ?Zr)iERAHL-CrRBT 

MONTRKAL  t 

MIL  or  IT.  PRAlfCIS   XAVIER  AKO  NOTKK-DAJMB  ITS 


-J 


mmm 


w^f^m 


APPROBATION 


or 


HIS  GRACE  THE  ARCHBISHOP  OF  PARIS. 


HvACiNTii  Louis  de  Quele?;,  by  the  grace  of  God,  and 
the  favour  of  the  Apostolic  See,  Arclibishoj)  of  Paris,  6cc. 

We  have  authorized,  and  do  hereby  authorize  the  publi- 
cation of  a  book  entitled  "  A  new  Treatise  on  the  Chris- 
lion's  Duty  to  God,  from  the  press  of  Poussielgue,  Parie. 
This  work,  having  been  submitted  to  our  inspection,  appoai-a 
to  us  well  calculated  to  explain  the  principal  duties  of  the 
Christian  life,  to  make  them  loved  and  practised,  and  to 
apprise  young  people  of  the  snares  every  where  set  to  en- 
trap the  innocent. 

Given  at  Paris,  under  the  signature  of  our  Vicar-general, 

the  seal  of  our  arms,  and  the  countersign  of  our  Secretary, 

this  eighteenth  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred 

and  ihirty-sevcH. 

J.  LE  SURRE, 

Vicar-General. 

By  ooiiunand  of  his  grace  the  Archbishop  of  Paris. 

MOLINIER, 

*.  Secretary. 

Entsrbd  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1860, 

By  D.  &  J.   SADLIER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  th< 
Southern  District  of  New-York. 


M 


irmiS^S\fi;^H^:K 


TRANSLATOR'S   PREFACE. 


Tf?is  work  has  long  been  a  class-book  in  the  Schools  of  th« 
Christian  Brothers  in  France  and  in  Canada  and  this  translation  was 
made  especially  for  their  use,  as  they  wish  to  place  it  also  in  the 
hands  of  their  pupils  speaking  and  studying  the  English  language. 
The  very  fact  of  its  universal  adoption  by  these  excellent  masters  of 
education  is  sufficient  to  establish  its  character  as  an  unrivalkd  book 
of  instniction  on  the  whole  Duty  of  a  Christian.  Here  nothing  is 
left  unexplained — no  point  unnoticed — of  all  the  grand  and  beautiful 
system  of  Religion.'  From  the  most  sublime  mysteries  of  our  faith, 
to  the  simplest  and  most  trivial  practices  of  devotion,  all  is  laid  open 
before  the  mind,  and  in  a  way  so  earnest,  so  impressive  as  to  produce 
Ri  once  the  effect  of  rivetting  attention,  and  inducing  the  mind  to 
dwell  on  these  all-important  topics.  For  the  rest,  the  purpose  and 
object  of  the  work  are  sufficiently  explained  in  the  Preface  to  the 
Original,  and  any  further  remarks  of  mine  were  sure  to  be  super- 
fluous. 

To  the  principal  work  TTie  Christianas  Duty  to  God,  is  added  the 
RxUes  of  Christian  Politeness,  together  with  prayers  at  Mass,  both 
b^mg  considered  essentially  necessary  to  make  the  book  complete. 

Montreal,  October,  1850 


tth« 


.:i«3lU, 


PREFACE. 


1^ 


M 


What  am  I  ?    What  is  to  become  or  me  ? 

SrRrous  and  important  qnestion^,  which  the  man  of  (food  «ens« 
«vill  never  treat  lightly,  persuaded  as  he  must  be  that  an  error  on 
IhehL'  j)oint8  might  be  irreparably  fatal  in  its  consequences  ! 

The  idea  of  my  existence  is  so  closely  allied  with  lliat  of  Gtod, 
that  I  cannot  reflect  on  the  formei  wilhoiil  being  struck  by  the  latter. 
Nothing  exists,  except  by  Him  who  is,  and  is  by  himself;  it  is  in 
iiiin  liiat  we  have  being,  motion,  life,  and  reason.  He  has  created 
us  by  his  power,  he  preserves  us  in  his  goodness,  and  governs  us  by 
his  Providence.  As  a  natural  consequence,  we  must,  then,  honour 
him,  for  his  pre-eminent  existence  demands  worship.  A  God,  a 
rational  man,  a  religion,  one  cannot  be  without  the  other.  The  idea 
of  religion  is  as  natural  to  man  as  is  that  of  God:  the  child  receives 
rts  impress  with  ready  docility,  and  the  old  man  is  almost  alwayi 
forced  to  return  to  it.  Let  the  passions  only  be  silent,  and  all  men 
will  range  themselves  under  the  banners  of  Religion. 

It  is  with  the  hope  of  being  useful  to  all  that  we  publish  tliin 
New  Treatise  on  the  Duty  of  the  Christian  towards  God,  an.  I  the 
means  of  fitly  discharging  it.  Every  one  will  here  find  the  gioundu 
of  his  faith  and  of  his  future  hope  solidly  established,  and  will  see, 
by  the  examples  which  follow  the  explanation  of  the  truths  of  faith 
and  the  duties  of  religion,  that  nothing  is  impossible  to  him  who  is 
well  disposed,  and  desires  to  corresjiond  with  the  graces  he  receives, 
and  to  avail  himself  of  the  aid  which  God  gives  "  to  men  of  good  will.** 

Far  from  taking  to  ourselves  an  honour  which  belongs  not  to  us, 
we  acknowledge  with  pleasure  that  it  is  from  the  works  of  MM. 
de  La  Salle,  (^Humbert,  and  Lhomond  we  h^ye  drawn  up  the  body 
of  doctrine  contained  in  this  New  TreatiM 


wh 

anc 

div 

ed 

kn( 

wis 

enc 

all 

nexl 

Crc 

too 

whi 


^rror  on 

of  God, 
e  latter. 

it  in  in 
I  created 
18  U8  by 
,  honour 

God,  a 
rhe  idea 

receives 
t  alwayi 

all  men 

lish  thin 
an.  I  the 
groundfi 
will  see, 
)  of  faith 
1  who  ia 
receives, 
odwill.** 

lot  to  U8, 

of  MM. 
the  body 


INTRODUCTION 


I 


NECESSITY  OF  A  RELIGION,  AND  THE  OBLIGA- 
TION OF  STUDYING  IT. 


1. — NECESSITY    OF   RELIGION. 

The  existence  of  the  universe  and  the  admirable  order 
which  reigns  throughout,  necessarily  suppose  a  wise  and 
powerful  cause. 

That  cause  is  God  ;  He  it  is  who  has  created  all  things, 
and  who  regulates  all  according  to  the  eternal  laws  of  His 
divine  wisdom.  Of  all  created  beings,  man  alone  is  endow- 
ed with  intelligence  and  liberty;  he  alone  is  capable  erf 
knowing,  willing,  and  loving;  nevertheless,  God,  who  is 
wisdom  itself,  has  only  given  these  faculties  to  man  to  the 
end  that  they  may  be  employed  in  promoting  His  glory. 

These  truths,  unquestionable  as  they  are,  prove  beyonu 
all  doubt  the  necessity  of  a  religion,  that  is  to  say,  a  con- 
nexion of  obedience  and  love  from  the  rational  being  to  hii 
Creator.  Vainly  will  it  be  said  that  God  is  too  great  and 
too  far  elevated  above  us  to  take  any  interest  in  the  honour 
whir.h  we  render  Him.     God.  it  is  true,  has  no  need  of  out 


6 


I/TTRODUCTION. 


f 


homage,  but  He  it*  infinitely  just,  and  therefore  wills  what  if 
conformable  with  reason  and  order — hence  it  follows  that 
the  creature  should  and  must  honour  his  Creator,  and  tes> 
tify  his  love  and  gratitude  to  Him  who  has  called  him  mto 
being. 

Can  a  father  possibly  dispense  wd;h  the  love  and  lespect 
which  his  children  owe  him  ? 

God  is,  then,  our  father,  hence  we  ought  to  love  Him ;  He 
b  infinitely  good,  we  ought  therefore  to  attach  ourselves  to 
Him  and  to  His  service ;  He  is  just,  and  He  is  all-powerful, 
and  as  such  we  ought  to  fear  and  respect  Him.  It  was  H« 
who  created  us,  and  who  still  preserves  our  lives ;  all  the 
blessings  and  advantages  which  we  enjoy,  we  hold  from 
His  bountiful  hand,  and  He  holds  ever  in  reserve  gifts  far 
more  precious  than  any  we  have  yet  received ;  He  desires 
to  render  us  eternally  happy — has  He  not  then  a  right  to 
require  of  us  worship  and  homage  ? 

This  worship  ought  to  be  internal,  comprehending  all  the 
faculties  of  our  soul ;  it  should  be  external,  so  that  the  body 
may  concur  with  the  soul  in  the  worship  paid  to  God ;  and 
public,  because  that  men,  being  destined  to  live  in  society, 
should  assemble  together  to  bless  and  adore  Him  who  has 
created  all. 

Without  a  fixed  and  unvarying  system  of  worship,  reli- 
gion could  not  long  subsist  amongst  men,  seeing  that  they 
have  so  great  need  of  mutual  edification,  and  of  exciting 
each  other  to  the  practice  of  their  common  duty.  Thus, 
from  the  very  beginning  of  the  world,  men  have  come  to- 
gether to  render  homage  to  the  Lord,  and  every  where  we 
find  the  Divinity  worshipped  in  the  name  of  the  whole 
people.  The  same  light  which  reveals  to  man  the  existence 
of  a  Being  oi  whom  he  entirely  depends,  shows  him  also 


i 


] 


vhtLt  it 
's  that 
tid  teS' 
m  into 

respect 

im;  He 

Ives  to 
werful, 
vas  H» 
all  the 
d  from 
ifts  far 
desires 
•ight  to 

:  all  the 

16  body 

and 

society, 

10  has 

ip,  reK- 
at  they 
xciting 
'fhus, 
ome  to- 
lere  we 
whole 
dstenoe 
im  also 


nVTRODIKJTION.  7 

the  obligation  of  paying  Him  all  honour.  The  form  of  this 
worship  has  been  different  amongst  the  va ;*ious  nations  of 
the  earth,  but  its  principle  has  been  every  where  the  same, 
tliat  is  to  say,  the  necessity  of  honouring  a  supreme  power, 
a  creator  ant*  conservator — an  all-disposing  Providence. 
Bo  true  it  is  that  man  ceases  not  to  hear  an  inward  voice 
which  cries :  "  Homage  to  the  Master  of  life  !  " 

2.-i-THB    NECESSITY    OF   STUDYING    RELIGION. 

To  believe  in  the  existence  of  God,  the  immortality  of 
the  soul,  the  rewards  and  punishments  of  the  other  world, 
or,  at  least,  having  nothing  satisfactory  to  say  against  these 
great  truths,  yet  to  live  as  though  one  were  persuaded  of 
Llie  contrary  being  the  case,  is  an  inconsistency  which  can 
only  arise  either  from  ignorance  or  licentiousness. 

It  is  quite  true  that  the  most  formidable  enemies  of  religion 
are  darkness  of  mind  and  depraviiy  ol  heart.  There  would 
be  fewer  unbelievers  if  religion  were  better  known,  and 
there  would  be  none — not  one — were  men  without  passions. 
But  neither  the  guilty  negligence  of  the  one,  nor  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  other,  can  ever  do  away  with  that  which  is. 
Now  the  unanimous  consent  of  all  nations,  the  secret  con- 
ciousness  of  every  man, — the  universe  and  all  that  it  cow- 
tains,  are  so  many  witnesses  attesting  the  existence  of  God. 
Thethought,  the  will,  and  the  intelligence  of  the  soul,  all  tend 
to  prove  its  spirituality,  and  consequently,  its  immortality. 
Such  being  the  case,  how  are  we  to  account  for  the  stupid 
indifference  of  those  who,  without  precaution  and  without 
fear,  dare  to  advance  towards  the  fatal  point  which  must 
decide  their  eternal  doom.  "  I  know  not,"  say  they,  "  what 
18  to  become  of  me ;  all  that  I  can  say  is  that  I  shall  one 
day  die,  and  on  leaving  this  world  I  shall  either  fall  intv 


'iitiliaiiliiiiyijiiifi^itt^r 


XNTBODVCTIOIV. 


••ft 


if 


annihilation  like  the  brute,  or  into  the  hands  of  God  to  be 
judged  by  Him.  I  know  that  if  there  be  a  God,  he  muHt 
punish  all  those,  who  like  myself  take  no  pains  to  serve 
him :  all  around  tells  me  that  God  does  exist ;  nevertheless, 
as  this  belief  if  carried  out,  would  thwart  my  inclinations 
and  desires,  I  choose  rather  to  believe  only  what  1  see ! — 
It  may  be  that  time  will  not  be  given  me  to  repent;  of  that  I 
am  reminded  by  the  testimony  of  faith,  and  by  the  voice  of 
oonscience ;  but  no  matter.  I  shall  set  tae  evidence  aside 
and  go  on  in  my  own  way,  for  things  may  not  be  so  bad 
after  all."  In  what  way  can  we  account  for  the  wilful  blind* 
^ess  of  him  who  thus  sports  with  his  eternal  fate !  Can  he 
dare  to  flatter  himself  that  he  will  share  throughout  eternity 
in  the  happiness  of  the  virtuous  man — he,  the  wicked  and 
perverse  follower  of  his  own  inclinations  ? — or  can  he  imag- 
ine that  the  God  of  all  justice  will  regard  in  the  same  light 
vice  and  virtue — the  impious  who  blaspheme  his  name,  and 
the  just  who  adore  him  with  awful  veneration  ? 

idf  all  knowledge,  then,  that  of  religion  is  the  most  im- 
portant for  man :  it  is  it  which  moderates  him  in  prosperity, 
and  sustains  him  in  adversity,  teaching  him  that  time  is 
nothing,  and  eterhity  all ;  it  is  it  that  secures  the  tranquility 
of  States,  by  making  man  submissive  to  the  authorities 
established  by  God  himself,  and  that  not  only  from  the  fear 
of  punishment,  but  by  the  obligation  of  conscience ;  it  is 
religion  which  forms  the  clement  prince  and  the  faithful 
subject — the  j'^ist  steadfast  friend.  Not  only  does  it  pro- 
hibit the  usurpation  of  that  which  belongs  not  to  us,  but  it 
forbids  even  the  desire  thereof;  nay,  it  goes  farther  still, 
and  commands  us  to  share  our  abundance  with  him  who  is 
in  want;  it  not  only  condemns  murder  and  revenge,  but 
enjoins  us  to  pardon  injuries  and  love  our  enemies ;  it  teaches 


.1 


INTRODUCTION. 


OS  to  do  good  to  thot;  ^ho  hate  and  revile  us,  and  to  praj 
for  those  who  persecute  us.  "  Astonishing  fact ! ''  sayi 
Montesquieu,  struck  with  these  truths,  "  that  religion  which 
appears  to  be  but  for  the  other  life,  should  yet  constitute 
the  happiness  of  man  in  this  world/' — "  Society  without 
eb'gion  "  says  the  too-famous  Voltaire,  "  would  be  but  a 
den  of  ferocious  beasts." 

Let  us  then  conclude  that  nothing  is  more  important  for 
man  than  the  study  of  religion,  since  religion  herself  makes 
it  obligatory  on  us.  The  first  duty  which  it  imposes  on  ui 
is  the  study  of  its  precepts,  and  if  it  demands  implicit  fai& 
in  its  mysteries,  it  also  ordains  that  we  should  examine  tht 
reasons  which  prove  their  existence.  Wo,  then,  to  him  wh# 
blaspheming  that  of  which  he  knows  nothing,  dares  to  des 
pise  as  popular  prejudices  truths  the  most  certain,  and  th« 
most  worthy  of  respect ! — Truths  which  the  noblest  mindi 
have  adopted,  after  the  most  careful  investigation,  and  yield* 
ed  up  to  them  all  the  faculties  of  their  soul. 

Young  people,  who  are  about  to  enter  the  world,  never 
foi^et  the  precepts  of  the  Church; — be  faithful  to  your 
duties,  a(fr  suffer  yourselves  to  be  drawn  away  either  by 
the  raillery,  or  the  example  of  those  who  have  themselves 
unhappily  deserted  the  path  of  virtue. 

Read  none  but  good  books,  which  will  instruct  you  mor^ 
and  more  in  the  truths  of  Religion ; — the  better  instructed 
jou  are,  the  firmer  will  be  your  faith,  and  the  more  yoa 
study  your  religion,  the  more  will  you  be  impressed  with 
its  divine  beauty.  Never  permit  your  mind  to  be  dazzled 
by  the  vain  sophisms  of  the  irreligious — never  take  blas- 
phemy for  reason,  nor  raillery  for  proof.  Shun  bad  com- 
pany, which  cannot  fail  to  corrupt  your  morals.  Fly  from 
vice,  and  you  will  preserve  faith. 


iuafliiiifflWtiilM'r  ijamummfit 


! 


U) 


INTBODUCTION. 


11^  in  times  past,  you  have  had  the  misfortune  to  err  or 
fall  away  from  your  duty,  return  at  once  to  Him  who  awaita 
you  with  outstretched  arms,  and  who  never  rejects  those 
who  seek  His  favour: — do  not  sacrifice  your  hope  of  eter* 
i^i]  bliss  to  a  mean  and  contemptible  human  respect 

Example. — One  of  those  Christians  who  have  nothing 
of  Christianity  but  Baptism,  and  who  never  even  knew  his 
Ca^chism,  or  had  otherwise  forgotten  it,  made  it  his  par- 
ticular request  (doubtless,  after  a  sincere  conversion,  and 
in  the  profound  humility  of  his  heart)  that  the  following 
epitaph  might  be  engraved  on  his  tomb : — "  Here  lies  the 
fool  who  departed  from  this  world  without  having  sought 
to  know  why  he  came  into  it/' — EoOract  from  the  CaU' 
ehum  of  all  the  churches  of  Frtmoe, 


u 


f 


pre 
ren 
Ap 
dre 
tra< 

cau 

tO( 

con 

isb 

1 


,  -SV,  TflBW-  :fi- 


A  NEW  TREATISE 


ON   THB 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHm^xU^S 

TOWARDS    GO 

AND   THB    MEANS    OP    ACQUITTING   HIMSELF   THEREOF. 


Part  I'wBt 

CF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  AND  LOVE  OF  OOP 


lit— OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


CHAPTER  I. 


OF  THB  ORBED,  WHICH  IS  THB  ABRIDGMENT  OF  OUR  FAITH. 


ARTICLE  I. 


;■■  i 


OF    THB    APOSTLES     CREED    IN    OBNERAL. 

It  was  necessary  that  the  faithful  should  have  for  theii 
profession  of  faith,  a  regular  formula,  short,  simple,  easy  to 
remember,  and  the  same  every  where,  hence  it  was  that  the 
Apostles,  before  they  separated  to  go  preach  the  Gospel, 
drew  up  the  Creed  which  still  bears  their  name,  and  which 
tradition  has  invariably  attributed  to  them. 

The  word  Symbol  signifies  a  sign  or  an  abndgment,  be- 
cause the  profession  of  faith  made  while  reciting  it  serves 
to  distinguish  the  Christian  from  all  others,  and  because  i«i 
contains  in  an  abridged  form  all  the  truths  which  a  christian 
is  bound  to  believe  on  the  peril  of  his  salvation. 

The  Apostles'  Creed  contains  twelve  articles,  and  is  divid- 


:^«««WBia»***  -*V'  :*.^-, 


■»1 


!   ! 


1,2 


DUTY    OF   THB    CHRISTIAN 


ed  into  three  parts.  The  first  part  is  comprised  in  the  first 
article,  and  speaks  of  God  the  Father  and  the  creation  of 
the  world ;  the  second  takes  in  the  six  following  articles, 
and  treats  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  redemption  of  man  arid 
tlie  universal  judgment;  and  the  third  is  composed  of  the 
three  concluding  articles :  it  speaks  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  tiie 
Church,  the  remission  of  sins,  the  general  resurrection,  and 
of  the  rewards  and  punishments  reserved  for  men  after  their 
death,  according  to  the  good  or  the  evil  they  shall  have 
done  in  the  flesh. 

To  recite  the  Apostles'  Creed  is  to  make  as  many  acta 
of  faith  as  there  are  truths  contained  in  it :  hence,  it  is  good 
and  useful  to  recite  it  often,  but  more  especially  when  we 
rise  in  the  morning,  so  as  to  testify  to  God  that  we  propose 
to  spend  the  day  as  a  Christian  ought ;  and  also  when  going 
to  bed  at  night,  in  order  to  dispose  ourselves  to  die  in  the 
faith  of  the  Church,  should  death  surprise  us  during  our 
sleep:  this  is  the  reason  why  the  church  ordains  that  all 
should  know  it  by  heart,  and  obliges  parents  to  teach  it  to 
their  children. 

The  words  of  the  Apostles'  Creed  are  these :  "  I  believe 
in  God  the  Father  Almighty"  ^c. 

ExAaiFLE. — One  of  the  tyrants  of  old  having  sought,  by 
threats  and  promises,  to  induee  the  Christians  to  give  up 
their  faith,  said  to  them  at  last :  **  What  do  you  believe  ?** 
Wbtiireupon  one  of  them  replied:  "Listen! — ^I  am  going 
to  make  my  profession  of  faith,"  and  he  commenced  saying 
aloud,  in  a  firm  tone :  "  I  believe  in  God,  the  Father  Almighty, 
Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,''  &c.  Lasausse. 

Christians  have  been  frequently  heard  to  cry  out,  amid 
the  most  fearful  torments  inflicted  on  them  because  of  their 
faith :  "  1  believe — /  am  a  Christian,  Death  before  un- 
belief." 

There  is  said  to  be  in  the  imperial  library  of  Vienna,  a 
very  old  Greek  manuscript,  containing  the  Apostles'  Creed 
divided  into  twelve  articles,  with  the  names  of  those  who 
composed  them.  The  first  is  attributed  to  St.  Peter;  the 
second  to  St  Andrew ;  the  third  to  St  James ;  the  fouith  to 


■p^mi:y'Tx<.'  ^vs^-'--  --^w^'*pw^' 


TOWARDS  eOD. 


IS 


I  the  flrst 
nation  of 
articles, 
man  aild 
id  of  the 
host,  tlie 
tion,  and 
fter  their 
lall  have 

any  acta 
t  is  good 
when  we 
propose 
Bn  going 
lie  in  the 
ring  our 
i  that  all 
ach  it  to 

I  believe 


ught,  by 
give  up 
>elieve  ?" 
n  going 
[1  saying 
Imighty, 

AUSSE. 

ut,  amid 
of  their 
fore  un- 


lenna,  a 
i'  Creed 
)se  who 
ter;  the 
outth  to 


St  John ;  the  fifth  to  St  Thomas ;  the  sixth  to  St  James 
the  Less ;  the  seventh  to  St  Philip ;  the  eighth  to  St  Bar- 
tholomew; the  ninth  to  St  Matthew;  the  tenth  to  St 
Simon;  the  eleventh  to  St.  Thadeus;  and  the  twelftli 
to  St  Matthias.  Tkignot.  Jlmusemens  Philologiquet. 


ARTICLE    IL 
/  believe,  4fc. 

THB  NECESSITY  OF  REVELATION. 

Man's  greatest  interest  is  to  know  the  end  for  which  he 
is  sent  into  the  world,  and  what  will  become  of  him  after 
his  death ;  his  mind,  however,  being  so  limited  in  its  ca- 
pacity, he  can  but  imperfectly  conceive  spiritual  things, 
and  hence  it  is  that  he  must  refer  himself  to  the  exposi- 
tion of  them  which  God  has  vouchsafed  to  give  him  by  re- 
velation. 

Of  the  truths  which  God  has  revealed  to  men,  some 
are  contained  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  others  have 
reached  us  by  means  of  tradition.  The  Scriptures  are 
divided  into  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament comprises  all  the  sacred  books  written  from  the 
time  of  Moses  to  that  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  New,  those 
that  have  been  written  by  the  Apostles  and  some  of  their 
disciples.  All  these  books  were  written  by  divine  inspi- 
ration, and  their  authenticity  is  incontestible.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  their  authors  were  really  those  to  whom 
they  are  attributed,  that  they  have  been  preserved  with  reli- 
gious  veneration,  and  that  they  have  como  down  to  us  by  a 
constant  and  unbroken  transmission.  From  the  very  time 
of  their  sojourn  in  the  desert,  the  Hebrew  people  have  had 
the  books  of  Moses; — they  read  them  every  day,  and 
fathers  transmitted  td  their  children  the  knowledge  they 
contained  as  the  most  precious  inheritance  they  could 
leave  them;  the  original  was  religiously  preserved  in  the 
Tabernacle — and  the  words,  nay,  even  the  letters  were 
counted.  It  would  then  have  been  impossible  to  introduce 
the  slightest  change,  without  exciting  the  clam  rous  oppo« 


m 


/■I 
4 


i'MniHtl/HMiltvm  ^^lgmkMSi»^l^*>■   -■^^'•' 


'[ 


^^ 


14 


DUTT  OF  THB  CARI8TIAN 


Bition  of  a  miititude  of  persons,  all  conscientiously  bound 
to  preserve  the*  integrity  of  the  narrative. 

The  Pentateuch,  comprising  the  five  first  books  of  the 
Bible,  have  always  been  attributed  to  Moses  by  an  entire 
nation  whose  religion,  civil  usages,  and  their  constitution 
itself,  were  all  founded  on  that  book ;  so  that  one  cannot 
dispute  the  fact  of  Moses  being  its  author,  without  disputing 
tlie  existence  of  that  people,  which  would  be  sheer  absurdity. 
The  other  books  contained  in  the  Holy  Bible  have  the  saine 
marks  of  authenticity,  and  all  of  them  are  so  closely  con- 
nected that  the  facts  related  in  those  last  written  necessarily 
suppose  the  events  described  in  the  preceding  accounts. 

The  writers  of  these  books  have  all  proved  their  divme 
mission  by  shining  miracles  and  by  prophecies  which  time 
has  literally  fulfilled — they  must,  therefore,  have  been  sent 
by  God.  The  miracles  which  attest  the  authenticity  of  the 
sacred  books  rest  on  evidence  so  plain  that  there  is  no  pos- 
sibility of  their  being  doubted.  At  one  time  it  was  an  entire 
kingdom  stricken  at  different  times  with  ten  terrible  plagues ; 
at  another,  the  sea  opened  to  give  a  passage  to  the  He- 
brews, and  closed  again  over  Pharaoh  and  all  his  army ; 
then  it  was  an  immense  multitude  fed  for  forty  years  with 
manna  which  fell  from  heaven,  their  thirst  quenched  with 
water  drawn  forth  in  torrents  from  the  bosom  of  the  solid 
rock,  shaded  by  a  thick  cloud  from  the  burning  heat  of 
the  sun,  and  their  nightly  path  illumined  by  a  pillar  of  flame ; 
again,  it  was  the  Jordan  dividing  its  waters  to  lei:  tlie 
people  pass :  at  one  time  it  was  the  course  of  the  sun 
arrested  to  give  time  to  secuJ-e  the  victory ;  at  another,  an 
entire  army  of  one  hundred  and  ^eighty-five  thousand  men 
struck  dead  during  the  night,  under  the  walls  of  Jerusalem. 
Ail  these  prodigies,  and  a  thousand  others  of  a  like  nature, 
of  which  several  were  attested  by  solemn  festivals,  estab- 
lished expressly  to  perpetuate  their  memory,  can  neither  be 
overlooked  by  the  most  stupid  observer,  nor  called  in  ques- 
tion by  the  most  incredulous.  The  people  consequently 
were  so  convinced  of  the  authenticity  of  the  sacred  writings, 
that  they  accepted  the  Laws  therein  contained  with  all 
their  strictness  and  all  their  punishments — terrible  as  thejr 
were. 


TOWABDB  OOD. 


15 


thejr 


The  proof  which  rests  on  the  prophecies  is  not  lesi 
•trong:  there  we  see  a  host  of  inspired  men  who  speak 
not  as  though  doubting,  hesitating  or  conjecturing,  but  who, 
in  an  assured  tone,  publicly  declare  that  such  and  such 
events  will  certainly  come  to  pass  at  the  time,  in  the  place, 
and  with  all  the  circumstances  which  they  point  out.  And 
what  events  are  those?  The  most  minute  in  detail,  the 
most  important,  the  most  interesting  to  all  the  nations,  and 
yet  the  most  improbable  at  the  time  when  fhey  were  fore- 
told ;  such  are  the  carrying  away  of  the  Jews  to  Babylon, 
after  the  capture  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  then  a  most 
flourishii)g  city;  the  precise  term  of  seventy  years  pointed 
out  as  the  duration  of  the  captivity ;  the  triumphant  return 
of  the  people  to  their  own  land ;  Cyrus,  their  liberator, 
mentioned  by  name  more  than  two  hundred  years  before 
his  birth:  such,  too,  is  the  order  and  succession  of  the 
Four  great  empires,  two  of  which  were  named,  that  is  to 
say,  the  Persians  and  the  Greeks,  although  these  last  were 
then  cooped  up  in  a  small  corner  of  the  earth,  and  divided 
info  several  States.  How  was  it  that  therae  prophets  could 
thus  penetrate  the  future  ?  Who  was  it  that  discovered  to 
their  view  events  so  distant,  and  then  so  little  likely  to 
happen,  if  it  was  not  Him  who  is  the  master  of  time,  and 
whose  eternal  decrees  have  regulated  all  ?  It  is  thus  that 
the  sacred  writers  have  been  ever  regarded  as  the  ministers 
and  ambassadors  of  God ;  it  is  thus  that  their  books  came 
to  be  revered  as  divine,  and  containing  the  true  word  of 
God. 

The  authority  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  rests 
on  the  same  foundations,  and  is  equally  incontestible. 

The  New  Testament  contains  the  history  of  the  life, 
miracles,  and  doctrines  of  the  Son  of  God,  written  by  his 
disciples,  all  contemporaries  of  his,  whose  testimony  ig 
aniform  throughout,  and  who  relate  but  what  they  them- 
selves heard  and  saw.  From  the  very  beginning  of  Chris- 
tianity, the  books  were  cited  and  even  transcribed  by  the 
greatest  men,  some  of  whom  had  seen  the  Apostles :  even 
the  enemies  of  Christianity,  such  as  Julian  the  Apostate, 
Celsus,  Porphyrus,  have  never  raised  an  objection  on  this 
point,  yet  they  were  comparatively  near  to  the  times  of  the 


--.itttiw'-*    •«*. 


lit 


,,-ir 


It    'H 


u 


16 


DUTY  OF  THB  CVQISTIAN 


Apostles,  and  consequently  withM)  reach  of  the  truth.  So 
also  the  heretics,  whose  interest  it  was  to  dispute  the  au- 
thority of  these  divine  books,  have  openly  acknowledged 
their  authenticity,  contenting  themselves  with  endeavouring 
to  pervert  their  sense. 

The  Church  has  ever  cherished  a  profound  veneration 
for  these  books,  causing  them  to  be  publicly  read  in  aU 
Che  assemblies  of  religion ;  she  has  always  regarded  them 
as  the  word  of  God,  and  emanating  from  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  as  such  that  no  one  could  either  add  to,  or  diminish 
them  without  committing  a  sacrilege.  If  these  books,  then, 
are  authentic  and  divine,  the  narratives  which  they  contain 
must  be  true ;  and  if  so,  it  is  quite  true  that  God  himself 
has  spoken  to  men. 

We  must  then  regard  all  doctrine  opposed  to  what 
Scripture  teaches,  as  illusion,  falsehood  and  error,  and  it  ia 
for  us  to  oppose  the  word  of  God  to  the  audacious  license 
of  impiety  and  unbelief.  We  should  never  foi^et  that  if  our 
£uth  must  be  rational,  by  a  due  examination  of  the  proofs 
on  which  it  is  based,  still  it  can  never  be  too  humble  in  its 
submission  to  revealed  truths,  and  to  the  explanation  which 
the  Church  gives  of  them. 

Examples. — Several  persons  repaired  to  the  house  of  a 
philosopher,  and  said  to  him :  "  We  have  been  sent  hither  to 
beg  of  you  to  tell  us  clearly  what  is  God.''  The  philoso- 
pher said :  "  I  will  think  of  it — go,  and  return  in  eight  days." 
The  eight  days  being  past,  the  deputies  called  again,  and 
he  said  once  more :  "  Return  in  eight  days.''  Eight  days 
after  they  received  the  same  answer.  The  deputies  were 
at  length  tired  of  hearing  from  the  philosopher  only  the 
same  words,  and  they  demanded  to  know  how  long  he 
would  keep  telling  them  to  return  in  eight  days.  He  re- 
plied :  "  I  must  make  you  the  same  answer  as  often  aa 
you  ask  the  same  question.  I  know  that  God  is — I  know 
and  feel  that  he  exists,  but  I  am  not,  nor  never  shall  be  able 
to  say  what  he  is." 

"  Who  will  explain  to  me  what  God  is,  if  it  be  not  God 
iumselfr' 

Saint  Augustuie^  before  his  conversion,  went  to  church  af 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


17 


nth.     So 

the  au- 

wledged 

avouring 

ineration 
id  in  aU 
led  them 
y  Spirit, 
diminish 
ks,  then, 
contain 
i  himself 

to  what 
and  it  ia 
}  license 
at  if  our 
e  proofs 
ble  in  ita 
»n  which 


use  of  a 
lither  to 
philoso- 
it  days." 
lin,  and 
ht  days 
es  were 
)nly  the 
long  he 

He  re- 
>ften  as 
-I  know 

be  able 

ot  God 
iirch  af 


oft4)n  as  his  occupation  |)ermitted,  and  above  all,  he  new 
failed  to  go  on  Sundays  to  hear  St.  Ambrose,  Bishop  of 
Milan,  preach.  "They  were,"  said  he,  "excellent  explana* 
tions  of  the  word  of  truth,  and  as  I  listened  from  time  to 
time,  my  heart,  touched  by  the  eloquence  of  that  holy  man, 
became  slowly  awakened  to  the  truth."  He  said  after  hit 
conversion  :  "  How  often,  oh,  my  God !  have  1  been  moved 
to  tears  by  the  melodious  sounds  of  the  hymns  and  p8alms 
which  they  sang  in  church !" 

The  same  holy  doctor  said :  "  Oh,  my  God !  there  is 
nothing  in  the  world  affects  me  so  deeply  as  to  hear  thy 
voice  speaking  through  the  divine  books  of  thy  Sacred 
Scripture — it  is  for  me  a  pleasure  that  surpasses  all  others. 
Grant,  oh.  Lord !  that  I  may  ever  feast  on  thy  holy  word, 
for  the  delights  I  thence  receive  are  aU  chaste  and  holy. 
Vouchsafe  also  to  grant  that  I  may  never  either  deceive 
myself  or  others  by  taking  the  words  of  Scripture  in  a 
wrong  sense."  {Confess.^  liv.  7.  ch.  6.) 

"  What  books  do  you  read  V  asked  the  proconsul  Sa- 
turnin,  under  the  emperor  Severus,  of  the  Confessor  of  the 
faith,  Sperat.  He  replied :  "  The  four  Gospels  of  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  Epistles  of  the  Apostle,  St.  Paul." 


ARTICLE  IIL 

/  believe  in  God. 

EXISTENCE  OF  60D. 

That  there  is  a  God,  is  a  truth  which  makes  itself  evi- 
dent, if  one  may  say  so,  to  the  mind,  and  we  have  but  to 
open  our  eyes  and  reflect  a  moment  in  order  to  become 
convinced  that  it  is  so — all  that  is  without  and  around  us, 
and  all  that  is  within  us,  tends  to  prove  the  fact. 

Let  us  look  at  the  firmament,  and  what  a  magnificent 
tight  do  we  behold !  Who  then  has  made  that  immense 
vault?  Who  has  suspended  in  air  those  shining  spheres: — 
the  sun,  diffusing  light  and  warmth  on  all  around;  the 
moon  and  the  stars  which  shine  by  night   in   the  firmiu 


/i 


18 


DUTY  Of    TUB  CHMSTIAN 


MM 


l(:i 


meiit,  and  daily  renew  their  majestic  course  with  the  mosl 
udtnirablo  regularity  ? 

Let  us  then  cast  our  eyes  on  the  earth,  and  consider 
tiie  iiiiiuinerable  multitude  of  animals  with  wniclt  it  is  peo- 
pled ;  the  infinite  variety  of  trees,  plants,  and  fruits  wljich 
cover  its  surface ;  the  prodigious  quantity  of  fish  which  the 
ea  contains  within  its  bosom — who,  but  only  God,  can  l)e 
ho  author  of  all  these  wonders  ?  Would  it  not  be  the  lieight 
of  absurdity  to  attribute  them  to  chance  ?  When  we  be- 
hold a  magnificent  palace,  we  instantly  conclude  that  some 
able  architect  must  have  drawn  the  plan,  and  skilful  work- 
men carried  it  out;  when  we  look  upon  a  fine  painting,  we 
know  that  an  accomplished  artist  has  conceived  the  design 
and  laid  on  the  colours.  If  any  one  told  us  that  all  this  was 
the  work  of  chance — that  the  stones  of  the  edifice  had  cut 
and  placed  themselves — that  the  colours  of  the  picture  had 
eome  of  themselves  and  taken  their  places  on  the  canvas, 
an<4  that  they  had  shaded  themselves  by  chance  into  such 
admirable  arrangement,  should  we  not  regard  the  speaker 
as  a  fool  ?  What  folly  it  is  then  to  say  that  the  universe 
was  formed  by  chance  alone  ? 

Finally,  let  us  consider  ourselves,  and  we  shall  find  a  body 
composed  of  an  amazing  multitu<^!  of  springs  and  o.gans 
placed  and  arranged  with  the  niust  astonishing  regularity ; 
throughout  the  whole  we  perceive  u  marked  design,  and 
we  see  that  He  who  called  man  into  being  has  thus  given 
him  a  manifest  proof  of  his  infinite  wisdom.  Who  but  God 
eould  have  executed  a  work  so  admirable  ? 

But  we  have  not  only  a  body,  we  have  also  a  soul ;  that 
soul  is  'lot  material,  for  matter  is  incapable  of  thinking — 
it  is  then  of  a  spiritual  nature.  Nevertheless,  the  soul  is 
united  to  the  body,  and  tlieir  union  is  so  close  thri  vvIkh 
the  body  is  in  a  good  condition  the  soul  partakes  of  it«  oc 
joyment — ana,  on  the  other  hand,  when  the  bod^.  '  ;"jr&, 
the  soul  too  is  in  pain.  Who  is  it  that  has  thus  united  and 
commingled  two  substances  so  different  in  their  nature,  and 
estHblisht  d  that  admirable  correspondence  between  them — 
who  but  God  alovie  ? 

Again,  thesa  b^ntip^snts  of  joy  and  grief,  which  by  turns 
agitate  our  anirids, :  .a  a  nev/  i)roof  that  there  is  a  God ;  thej 


:^i. 


■'■•^<^->X^fi^K»>^ 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


19 


tho  mosJ 

consider 
it  in  peo- 
its  which 
ivhich  the 
(1,  can  1>e 
;he  height 
n  we  be- 
lint  some 
ful  work- 
nting,  we 
»e  design 
I  this  was 
9  had  cut 
Qture  had 
e  canvas, 
into  such 
I  speaker 

universe 

1  a  body 
organs 
gularity ; 
ign,  and 
us  given 

jut  God 

'ul ;  that 
nking — 
soul  is 
;vl:  n 

5t«  I'p. 

ited  and 

are,  and 

theni — 

)y  turns 
id ;  thej 


I 


involuntary,  and  beyond  our  (  otit»nl,  for  if  It  dej.onded 
01     t'lves  to  call  them  forth  or  bantHh  th«Mn  a*  pleasure, 


I 


are 

on 

we  would,  undoubtedly,  be  alwa}  sjflad  mid  joyous,  nevei 
Bad  or  uHiicted. 

We  have,  then,  a  Sovereigi.  and  Ainiighty  Master  on 
whom  wo  entirely  depend,  and  who  disposes  of  u^  -^f  hia 
own  will  and  pleasure.  That  Supreme  Ruler  is  God.  and 
hence  the  cry:  My  God!  which  escapes  us  iii  my  gndlen 
grief  or  pain,  or  when  attacked  by  unlooked  or  misior- 
tune — 'liat  unpremeditated  exclamation,  which  pr*/  '^eds  not 
frri'ii  '  ii  'ti  I.,  being  the  involuntary  "testimony  )f  a  soul 
naturally  (Jh -istian,"  according  to  the  words  of  Tertullian. 

it  1  ,  therefore,  true  that  we  bear  within  us  the  im,  ress 
f>f  the  Divinity,  traced  in  indelible  characters;  and  hi  ice, 
we  find  that  there  never  was  a  nation,  how  barbarous  f>r 
even  ^iavage  soever  they  might  have  been  who  did  not  ac- 
knowledge a  Supreme  Power.  Nations  have  been  founi' 
utterly  ignorant  of  arts  and  sciences,  but  none  who  knew 
not  God ;  many,  it  is  true,  have  been  mistaken  in  their 
choice,  but  they  have  all  and  each  felt  the  necessity  of  re- 
cognizing a  divinity. 

Tliis  universal  consent  and  agreement  of  all  nations  and 
of  all  ages, — of  men  differing  l»om  each  other  in  genius 
and  in  customs, — separated  by  immense  intervals  of  time 
and  place — this  can  be  no  arbitrary  convention ;  it  can  only 
be  the  effect  of  a  light  which  shines  on  all  mankind, — a 
light  proceeding  from  God  himself  and  which  even  the  most 
eunple  mind  cannot  misunderstand. 

The  heavens  announce  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firma- 
ment publishes  the  wonders  of  his  power.  What  other  being 
could  have  said  to  the  sun :  "  Go  forth  from  nothing,"  and 
illumine  the  day  ?  Who  but  He  could  have  bade  the  moon 
to  Mpj.oar,  and  be  the  lamp  of  night  ?  All  creatures  reveal 
to  us  that  they  have  not  made  themselves,  but  that  God  has 
made  them.  What  other  than  G«k1  could  make  the  plants 
to  grow  from  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  or  give  to  seeds  their 
wondrous  imwiiie? — Who  but  He  could  regulate  the  suc- 
cession of  dav8  ai^  nights,  or  fix  the  unvarying  order  of 
the  seasoi  s  ?  All  tl\en  a  mounces  to  is  the  existence  of 
God. 


•«»«(«HB«B»«w-  ^^^>^^41?ii::••#: 


20 


DUTY    OF   THE   CHRISTIAN 


Example. — A  certain  impious  man,  as  pert  in  his  de- 
meanor as  he  was  shallow  in  his  reasoning,  one  diy  present- 
ed himself  at  the  house  of  M.  Oudin,  a  learned  and  pious 
ecclesiastic  :  "  Sir,"  said  he  abruptly,  "  I  am  very  happy  to 
tell  you  that  I  am  an  atheist"  At  these  words,  the  man  of 
God  drew  back  in  horror;  and  taking  hold  of  a  spy- glass 
which  lay  near,  he  fixed  his  eye  on  the  young  coxcomb. 
"  What  are  you  about  there  ? "  demanded  the  latter.  "  I  am 
examining  that  strange  being  which  they  call  atheist,  for  I 
have  never  seen  one  before."  Disconcerted  and  abashed  by 
tliese  words,  the  young  man  hastily  withdrew. 

Merault. 


i'» 


ill" 


ARTICLE   IV. 
I  believe  in  God,  4*c.,  ^•c. 

UNITY    OF    GOD. 

Reason  and  faith  which  make  known  to  us  that  there  18 
a  God,  teach  us  also  that  there  is  but  one,  and  that  there 
could  not  be  more,  because  there  cannot  be  more  than  one 
being  who  exists  of  himself,  and  depends  on  no  other  cause. 
And  is  it  not  evident  that  being  supremely  great,  he  must 
be  alone  in  his  power,  for  if  he  had  an  equal  he  should  be 
no  longer  a  Supreme  Being  ? 

All  the  perfections  of  God  prove  also  his  unity:  there 
can  be  but  one  immense  being — that  is  to  say,  who  per- 
vades and  fills  all  space,  and  beyond  whom  there  is  nothing 
more. 

There  can  only  be  one  being  wl^o  is  infinitely  perfect — 
that  is  to  say,  possessing  all  perfection,  and  beyond  whom 
there  is  no  perfection  if  it  come  not  from  himself. 

The  divine  Majesty  can  have  no  equal,  because  it  con* 
tains  within  itself  all  the  plenitude  of  greatness. 

It  is,  doubtless,  surprising  that  a  truth  so  evident  should 
have  been  ever  overlooked  or  misunderstood,  and  that  nations 
otherwise  enlightened  should  have  adored  a  great  number 
of  divinities.  This  gross  error  was  the  natural  eflfect  of 
sin.  When  God  created  man,  he  made  himself  manifest  to 
him    from  that  moment  man  clearly  understood  that  thero 


»«*^"'W«WW*«»Wk' 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


31 


n  his  de- 
^  present- 
ind  pious 
happy  to 
e  man  of 
spy- glass 
coxcomb. 
.  "  I  am 
eisty  for  I 
>ashed  by 

ERAVLT. 


it  there  is 
;hat  there 
than  one 
ler  cause. 
;,  he  must 
should  be 

ty:  there 
who  per- 
s  nothing 

perfect — 
nd  whom 

36  it  con* 

nt  should 
it  nationei 
t  number 
effect  of 
mifest  to 
hat  thero 


was  but  one  Supreme  Being,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  and 
on  whom  all  things  depend.  Man  transmitted  to  his  pos- 
terity the  pure  and  holy  religion,  which  formed  for  a  time 
his  safeguard  and  preservative  from  evil.  The  first  gener- 
ations, of  men  had  then  no  need  of  other  testimony  than 
tliat  of  their  fathers  to  prove  the  existence  and  the  unity  of 
(^.od. 

That  tradition  was,  moreover,  so  conformable  to  reason, 
that  it  seemed  as  though  it  could  never  be  forgotten,  nor 
yet  obscured.  But  Religion  demanded  sacrifices,  and  the 
corruption  of  the  human  heart  became  every  day  greater ; 
thus  according  as  they  receded  from  the  origin  of  things, 
the  greater  part  of  mankind  rejected  the  ideas  which  they 
had  received  from  their  fathers,  and  would  no  longer  adore 
what  they  could  not  see;  thua^the  idea  of  God  was  con- 
founded with  that  of  the  creature. 

Hence  they  began  to  adore  all  such  objects  as  displayed 
any  extraordinary  power,  or  from  which  they  could  hope 
or  fear  any  thing. 

The  stars  were  the  first  objects  of  that  impious  worship ; 
but  great  kings,  conquerors,  and  learned  men  were  soon 
installed  as  deities,  and  received  divine  honours. 

This  deplorable  error  made  rapid  progress ;  men  sank  so 
low  as  even  to  adore  beasts  and  reptiles,  and  soon  the  great 
mass  of  mankind  worshipped  almost  every  thing, — save 
God  himself. 

In  the  dreary  darkness  into  which  he  had  fallen,  man 
adored  even  the  work  of  his  own  hands ;  he  thought  him- 
self able  to  inclose  the  divine  Spirit  within  the  form  of  a 
statue,  and  so  far  forgot  the  God  who  had  created  him,  that 
he  thought  he  could  in  his  turn  make  a  god.  Each  nation 
had  its  own  particular  deities,  of  whom  some  presided  in 
heaven,  others  over  the  seas  and  riveis,  and  some  again  in 
tlie  infernal  regions :  but  men  did  not  even  stop  there,  for 
in  course  of  time  even  the  passions  and  vices  had  altara 
elected  to  them. 

Nor  was  this  excess  of  folly  and  bhndness  confined  solely 
to  rude  and  barbarous  nations,  for  on  the  contrary  it  reach* 
ed  the  greatest  height  amongst  the  most  polished  people  of 
antiquity, — the  Egyptians,  the  Greeks,  and  the  Romana 


\\ 


I 


'■<atSiimMmt*n'»'-^m^---^<k  -4^ 


;■» 


fit 


I: 


^^1 


'►• 


'i'tii 


I 

'ill; 


ii 


■:'iU 


22 


DUTY    OP   THE    CHRISTIAN 


Thes^  nations  surpassed  all  others  in  learning  and  civilizatioi^ 
but  as  i-egai-ded  Religion  they  were  debased  and  degraded 
as  has  Ijeen  described. 

They  had  their  great  orators,  celebrated  poets,  excellent 
histoiians,  in  a  word  they  had  distinguished  men  in  every 
art  and  science,  and  yet  they  were  profoundly  ignoraiit  of 
the  nature  of  the  Divinity.  And  it  is  worthy  of  notice,  though 
we  could  scarcely  believe  it  were  not  the  proofs  of  it  incon- 
testil)le,  that  their  error  on  this  head,  though  the  most  absurd 
of  all,  was  not  only  the  most  universal,  but  also  the  most 
deeply-rooted,  and  the  most  incorrigible.  Some  sages  there 
were,  \\'ho  by  deep  and  constant  meditation,  attained  a 
knowledge  of  the  unity  of  God,  but  they  never  publicly 
inculcated  their  belief 

Mankind  should  never  have  emerged  from  the  darkness 
of  idolatry,  had  not  a  supernatural  light  come  to  the  assist- 
ance of  reason,  and  God  himself  spoken  to  man  to  malce 
knovi^n  what  he  is,  and  in  what  manner  He  will  be  honour- 
ed.  We  ourselves  should  have  been  plunged  in  that  gulf 
of  darkness  if  the  Lord  had  not  vouchsafed  to  enhghten  us 
also  ;  but  thanks  to  his  goodness,  we  have  been  taught  from 
our  earliest  childhood  these  high  and  holy  truths  which  t>« 
sages  of  pagan  antiquity  never  knew. 

Example. — Epictetus  being  asked  what  God  is,  replied : 
"  If  I  were  able  to  tell  you  what  God  really  is,  God  should 
be  no  longer  what  he  is,  and  I  myself  should  be  God.  God 
alone  can  explain  what  he  is,  and  that  only  to  iiimself '' 


\t 


i'(' 


ARTICLE   V 

/  believe  in  God,  <SfC.,  <SfC, 

THE  PERFECTIONS  OF  GOD. 

God  is  so  great,  and  our  mind  is  so  limited,  that  it  ti 
impossible  for  us  to  understand  what  he  is. 

We  know  him  but  imperfectly,  by  the  Hght  of  faith  and 
by  that  of  reason. 

Nevojtheless  that   knowledge,  imperfect   though   it   be, 


TOWARDS  000. 


29 


'eplied : 
should 
God 
If 


suffices  for  man  in  this  life.  Nothing  gives  us  a  grander 
idea  of  God  than  that  which  he  himself  tells  us :  "I  am  who 
AM," — that  is  to  say  the  Being  of  beir.g^the  principle  of 
all  which  exists,  and  on  whom  all  depends.  From  this  it 
follows  that  God  is  possessed  of  everv  oerfection,  and  that 
in  the  highest  degree  possible. 

God  is  a  spirit,  that  is  to  say,  a  pure  intelligence,  hanng 
neither  body,  nor  form,  nor  colour. 

God  resembles  nothing  of  all  that  surrounds  us,  and  striken 
our  veiw.  All  that  we  see,  all  that  we  touch  is  material, 
and  a  being  infinitely  perfect  is  not  material.  The  angels 
and  our  own  souls  are  so  r.iany  intelligences,  but  their 
powers  and  capacities  are  limited  and  imperfect:  those  of 
God  embrace  all  things. 

God  is  eternal.  He  existed  before  all  things,  for  He  has 
made  all ;  he  was  before  all  time — he  never  had  a  begin- 
ning, and  shall  never  have  an  end.  Before  the  birth  of 
ages,  God  existed  of  himself,  and  he  existed  alone. 

God  is  All-powerfid.    He  can  do  all,  whatsoever  he  will 
by  his  word  alone  he  has  drawn  all  creatures  forth  from 
nothing,  and  He  might  create  a  thousand  other  worlds  if  he 
judged  it  necessary. 

"  He  calleth,"  says  the  prophet,  "  things  which  are  not, 
and  even  as  t^iough  they  did  exist,  do  they  obey  His  voice." 
To  Him  then  nothing  is  impossible,  and  nothing  difficult 
The  celestial  globes  are  suspended  in  empty  space  without 
other  support  or  stay  than  his  will ;  the  sea  obeys  his  orders, 
and  never  overflows  its  prescribed  bounds,  and  all  nature 
observes  the  laws  which  He  has  laid  down.  The  fire,  the 
wind,  and  the  tempest  obey  his  voice ;  it  is  He  who  covers 
the  sky  with  clouds  and  prepares  there  the  rain  which  is 
to  water  the  earth ;  and  He  it  is,  in  fine,  who  annually 
presents  to  our  admiring  gaze,  the  resurrection  of  >entire 
iiatute. 

God  is  independent.  The  principle  of  all  that  exists,  hft 
holds  from  no  other  being  than  himself.  The  inexhaustible 
source  of  wealth,  he  distributes  it^t  his  pleasure  to  whom- 
soever he  pleases ;  supremely  happy,  he  has  need  of  no  onc^ 
being  sufficient  for  himself,  and  being  Jie  absolute  mastef 
of  all  things,  he  has  neither  equal  nor  superior.     For  our 


<f.it4ir^.-'^Ii 


u 


DUTY  OF  TUB  CHBISTIAN 


"  k 


m 


selves,  we  are  continually  and  universally  dependent  oa 
God.  It  is  He  who  preserves  and  sustains  us ;  without 
him,  we  must  fall  again  into  our  original  nothing,  and  with* 
out  his  assistance,  we  could  do  nothing. 

God  is  immutable.  What  he  is,  he  has  ever  been,  and 
fihall  be  for  ever.  "  / am  the  Lord"  says  he  himself,  " and 
I  change  not"  Man  is  never  in  a  fixed  and  permanent 
condition ;  his  body,  being  subject  to  the  revolutions  of  the 
different  stages  of  life,  passes  successively  from  strength  to 
weakness,  from  health  to  sickness,  from  life  to  death ;  bin 
will  changes,  either  through  fickleness,  or  because  he  finds 
a  reason  for  seeking  at  one  time  that  which  he  had  before 
neglected ;  but  in  God  there  is  neither  change  nor  even  the 
riiadow  of  change. 

God  is  infinite,  that  is  to  say  that  his  essence  and  his 
perfections  have  no  limits ;  he  possesses  every  perfection, 
and  in  him  every  perfection  is  infinite.  In  his  very  nature 
he  is  supremely  perfect.  Thus  God  is  not  only  good,  but 
iiifitiitc'ly  good  ;  he  is  not  only  just,  but  infinitely  just ;  and 
^o  with  all  the  other  perfections — us  nothing  has  had  power 
tf)  limit  their  number^hSo  neither  can  their  extent  be  pre- 
scribed. 

God  is  immense,  because  he  is  iii  heaven,  on  earth,  and 
in  all  places.  It  is  He  who  animates  all,  sustains  all,  and 
gives  life  and  motion  unto  all.  He  exists  in  all  things,  or 
rather  all  things  exist  in  Him,  for  His  presence  extends  be- 
yond the  bounds  of  the  universe ;  He  could,  if  He  chose, 
create  another,  and  if  He  did,  that  new  world  would  still  be 
within  the  limits  of  His  immensitv. 

It  is,  therefore,  certain  that  we  are  continually  under  the 
eyes  of  God :  He  hears  all  our  words.  He  sees  all  our  ac- 
tions— He  is  even  in  the  depth  of  our  heart,  and  knows  all 
our  thoughts  and  all  our  desires.  When  we  do  evi\  it  is  in 
His  presence  that  we  do  it.  The  thickest  shades  cannot 
conceal  us  from  His  eyes ;  and  the  darkest  night  is  to  Him 
llie  same  as  the  brightest  day.  The  proof  of  this  fact  is 
even  engraved  on  our  own  heart — hence,  that  remorse  whicn 
torments  us  when  we  have  committed  a  bad  action,  even  in 
secret,  and  when  unseen  by  mortal  eye.  Hence  the  keen 
ui<l  piercing  reproaches  of  our  own  conscience.    la  vais 


:ff. 


ideiit  ott 

without 

ind  with- 

)een,  and 
elf,  "  and 
ermanent 
ns  of  the 
rength  to 
Bath ;  hiii 
}  he  finds 
ad  before 


even  the          li 

and  his 

erfection,         f 

ry  nature          f! 

good,  but 

ust;  and 

ad  power         | 

t  be  pre- 

arth,  and 

3  all,  and 

hings,  or 

tends  be- 

[e  chose, 

Id  stiU  be 

inder  the 

1  our  ao-          j|; 
Lnows  all         '^ 

'\\  it  is  in 

es  cannot 

is  to  Uim 

is  fact  is 

rse  whicn 

1,  even  ia 

the  keen 

In  vaio 

TOWARDS  GOD. 

do€&  the  sinner  try  to  stifle  then,  for  stiU  does  the  sharp  cry 
ftf  that  inward  voice  rise  high  over  all  that  would  oppose  it 
vainly  does  he  fly  from  his  own  heart,  and  hasten  away 
from  his  own  thoughts,  fearful  of  being  overwhelmed  with 
shame  before  a  judge  which  ever  reproaches  him  with  his 
crime :  wherever  he  goes,  he  is  still  fearful  avid  still  con- 
fused  in  presence  of  that  invisible  monitor,  who  is  inces- 
santly  reminding  him  oi'  the  enormity  of  his  crime,  to  the 
end  that  he  may  begin  to  detest  it. 

Let  us  then  never  forget  that  God  is  always  with  us,  and 
that  we  are  never  alone ;  seeing  that  how  far  soever  we  may 
be  from  the  view  of  men — in  the  most  retired  place, — in 
the  most  profound  solitude,  we  have  an  invisible  witness 
who  accompanies  us,  and  who  observes  all  our  actions. 
I'his  thought  shall  remove  us  fr<5m  evil,  for  the  enemy  of  our 
enlvation  shall  be  weak,  and  his  efforts  powerless,  so  long  as 
we  retain  the  remeinl)rance  of  the  presence  of  God.  And 
how  could  we  dare  to  coinaiit  sin  iiiuler  His  eye?  Could 
we  have  the  boldness — the  audacity  tt>  do  in  His  presence 
that  which  we  would  not  dare  to  do  before  a  father  or  a 
master  ?  This  was  the  lesson  whic0of  old  Tobias  gave  to 
his  son:  "My  son,"  said  he,  "have  God  in  your  mind  all 
the  days  of  your  life."  It  is  also  the  advice  of  St.  Augus- 
tine :  "  If  any  one  would  tempt  you  to  sin,"  says  that  great 
doctor,  "make  him  this  oeply :  *  Go  and  find  for  me  a  place 
where  God  cannot  see  me ;  but  if  there  be  no  spot  wherein 
God  is  not  present,  then  tempt  me  no  more,  for  I  ani  not 
\*  icked  enough  to  offend  Him  before  His  face."  That  on© 
thought,  God  sees  mc  will  support  us  against  the  attacks  of 
the  devil,  it  will  give  us  strength  to  surmount  them,  and  en- 
courage us  to  fulfil  our  duties  with  fidelity. 

God  governs  all  things, — He  cares  for  all  creatures,  and 
Jiis  care  is  called  providence.  Nothing  happens  in  this 
world  without  His  order,  or  His  permission.  The  goo4 
which  is  done,  is  done  by  His  order — He  approves.  He 
wills.  He  commands.  He  rewards  it.  The  evil  does  not 
happen  by  the  order  of  God,  on  the  contrary  He  forbids  il, 
and  punishes  those  who  do  it ;  but  neither  does  He  prevent 
it,  because  He  will  not  restrain  man's  will,  which  He  has 
left  free,  and  because  He  is  powerful  enough  to  draw  good 


^1 


hi 

i 


wmm 


^mi 


z 


^m 


■'tmnn.  .■<«»i./#.i 


^ 


iii 


'le 


Hi; 

m 


-■if' 


26 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


even  fron.  evil.  Let  us  never  suppose,  then,  that  God  givfMi 
up  to  chance  the  creatures  whom  he  has  made — since  he  has 
vouchsafed  to  create  them,  it  is  not  unworthy  of  himself  to 
govern  them. 

This  providence  watches  not  only  over  kingdoms  and 
empires — its  attention  extends  to  all  creatures.  "  Not  even 
a  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  without  the  knowledge  of 
your  heavenly  Father:  yea,  even  the  hairs  of  your  head  are 
numbered,"  as  our  Lord  himself  tells  us.  It  is  this  over- 
ruling providence  which  annually  covers  the  earth  with 
crops,  makes  the  plants  to  grow,  loads  the  trees  with  fruit, 
and  provides  for  the  wants  of  all  creatures  with  a  care  truly 
paternal.  It  is  it  which  feeds  the  birds  of  the  air,  the  fishes 
of  the  sea,  and  the  animals  of  the  earth. 

Nevertheless  we  are  not  to  imagine  that  this  universal 
care  and  attention  are  any  trouble  to  God,  or  in  the  least 
disturb  His  unalterable  repose.  All  is  equally  easy  to  in- 
finite power  and  wisdom.  If  a  king  only  occupies  himself 
with  great  affairs,  without  stooping  to  attend  to  all  the  minor 
business  of  his  kingdom,  it  is  because  that,  having  but  a 
limited  intelligence,  4|||b  could  not  apply  himself  to  smaller 
matters  without  neglecting  the  greater:  but  the  wisdom  of 
God,  being  infinite,  embraces  all  without  any  trouble  or  the 
slightest  effort. 

From  this  principle :  "  There  is  a  providence,"  springs  a 
two-fold  duty  for  man.  The  first  is,  that  he  submit  him- 
self without  reserve  to  the  guidance  of  that  providence : 
we  are  to  adore  it  in  the  evil  which  befallr^  us  as  well  as  in 
the  good — in  adversity  as  well  ap  in  prosperity — in  sickness 
and  in  suflering  as  in  health  and  ?n  joy.  We  ought  at  those 
times  to  say :  "  God  wills  it,  and  He  wills  it  only  for  my 
good ;  may  His  holy  name  be  blissed !"  If  He  sometimes 
permits  the  virtuous  man  to  suffer  and  to  be  in  want,  whilsl 
the  impious  and  ungodly  revel  in  abundance,  it  is  because 
he  wishes  to  put  his  virtue  to  the  test,  so  that  he  may 
reward  it  magnificently  in  the  other  life,  and  because  he 
knows  that  this  passing  aflfliction  will  aid  in  securing  his 
eternal  salvation.  The  second  duty  is  to  confide  in  provi- 
dence, and  to  look  solely  to  the  goodness  of  God  for  all 
that  is  necesLary  to  us,  both  for  this  life  and  the  other 


not, 

for 

Bel 


.rmffFttnlM'^' 


'•m--  >"%: 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


27 


;  God  givf*8 
ince  he  hag 
'himself  to 

gdoms  and 
"  Not  even 
)wiedge  of 
ur  head  are 
s  this  over- 
earth  with 
J  with  fruit, 

I  care  truly 
r,  the  fishes 

is  universal 
n  the  least 
easy  to  in- 
>ies  himself 

II  the  minor 
ving  but  a 

to  smaller 
wisdom  of 
uble  or  the 

springs  a 

jbmit  him- 

irovidence : 

well  as  in 

in  sickness 

ht  at  those 

ily  for  my 

sometimes 

ant,  whilst 

is  because 

tt  he  may 

»ecause  he 

curing  his 

3  in  provi- 

od  for  all 

the  other 


"  Consider  the  birds  of  the  air,"  says  our  Lord,  "  .hey  sow 
uot,  neither  do  they  reap ;  it  is  God  himself  who  provides 
for  them,  and  how  much  more  for  you — oh  ye  of  little  faith? 
Behold  the  lilies  of  the  field,  they  sew  not,  neither  do  they 
spin,  yet  Solomon  arrayed  in  all  his  glory,  was  not  equal 
to  one  of  them.  If  God  thus  clothes  the  grass  of  the  field, 
how  much  more  will  he  care  for  you  who  are  his  children  ?" 
It  is  then  an  insult  to  our  heavenly  Father  to  murmur  and 
repine,  and  not  to  confide  in  His  paternal  care.  Let  us 
then  adore  His  providence  in  all  that  happens  to  us :  our 
fate  cannot  be  in  better  hands;  and  never  will  so  good  a 
Father  abandon  the  children  who  confide  in  his  watchful  care. 

ExAAiPLES. — We  read  in  the  Old  Testament  that  the 
young  Susanna  was  solicited  by  two  infamous  old  men  to 
commit  sin.  The  holy  woman  blushing  at  their  shameless 
proposal,  raised  her  eyes  to  heaven,  and  said  to  thom : 
•'  Whichever  way  I  turn  I  am  embarrassed ;  if,  on  the  one 
hand,  I  consent  to  gratify  your  base  passion,  I  shall  not 
escape  the  judgment  of  that  God  who  sees  us  all ;  for  He  is 
my  judge  and  would  exact  from  me  a  severe  account  were  I 
to  commit  so  vile  an  action.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  I  con- 
sent not  to  your  desire,  I  shall  not  escape  your  revenge,  and 
I  see  plainly  that  you  will  speedily  procure  my  death.  But 
I  fear  God,  and  so  would  rather  undergo  every  torment  that 
your  malice  and  cruelty  can  inflict  than  dare  to  offend  Him 
hi  His  veiy  presence,  and  thus  fall  i.ito  the  hands  of  His 
justice."  The  consequence  was  that  she  was  condemned 
to  death  on  the  false  charges  brought  against  her  by  these 
wretched  old  men ;  but  God  knew  how  to  testify  the  inno- 
cence of  His  servant,  and  the  two  old  men  suffered  that 
death  to  which  their  unholy  vengeance  would  have  con- 
signed her  whom  they  could  not  seduce  to  commit  sin. 

This  heroic  firmness  of  Susanna  was  the  effect  of  her 
continual  remembrance  of  the  presence  of  God. 

Certain  flatterers  were  extolling  the  power  of  Canute, 
king  of  England,  and  how  did  that  wise  prince  act?  He 
seated  himself  on  the  sea-shore  just  when  the  tide  was  com- 
lug  in,  and  commanded  the  furious  element  to  respect  his 


Ai 


i 


".1 


111 


nw 


^VPPI 


z 


<  «j*4;  ■.««■■:#., 


28 


DUTY  or  THE  CnRISTIAN 


t>    <■ 


L>'i 


i^iiy 


iij'i^i. 


fiiil 


power.    Of  course  he  was  not  obeyed,  whereupon,  turning  to 
Lib  courtiers  he  said :  "  See  now  the  extent  of  my  power ! " 

Merault. 

"  Whatever  affliction  may  befall  me,"  said  David,  "  I  have 
no  thought  of  complaining :  I  have  no  voice  but  to  hless 
the  Lord  and  sing  His  praises,  knowing  that  all  comes  from 
Him  who  is  the  source  of  all  good.  If  I  am  pursued  and 
persecuted  by  Saul,  it  is  God  who  hath  willed  it.  If  I  am 
expelled  from  my  palace  and  from  my  capital  by  Absalom, 
my  own  son,  it  is  God  who  has  willed  it." 

M.  de  Chantal,  having  been  mortally  wounded  in  the 
chase,  by  the  imprudence  of  a  friend,  became  himself  the 
consoler  of  that  friend,  saying :  "  My  friend,  the  arrow  was 
launched  above  before  it  left  thy  hand." 

Life  of  St.  Jane  de  Chantal. 

Madame  de  Sevigne,  speaking  of  Turenne,  said  thai 
•*  The  cannon  which  killed  that  great  man  was  loaded  from 
all  eternity."  That  thought  is  as  true  as  it  is  energetic  and 
forceful.  Letters  of  Madame  de  Sevigni. 


ARTICLE    VL 

/  believe  in  God,  ^c,  6fC, 

THE    MYSTERY    OF    THE    HOLY    TRINITY. 

Although  God  is  substantially  but  one,  there  are  never- 
theless three  persons  in  God — the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  this  is  what  is  called  the  Mystery  of  the 
most  Holy  Trinity. 

It  was  God  himself  who  revealed  this  mystery  in  a  sensi- 
ble manner  at  the  baptism  of  Jesus  Christ,  when  the  voice 
of  the  Father  was  heard,  publicly  recognising  him  as  His 
beloved  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  was  seen  to  descend  upon 
Him  in  the  form  of  a  dove.  Jesus  Christ  has  also  mani- 
festly declared  it,  when  He  commanded  His  Apostles  to 
baptize  all  nations  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  showing  thereby  that  tJiese 
three  persons  are  equal,  since  all  men  must  be  C/OnsecrateU 


TOWARDS  OOD 


29 


tvinnng  to 
power ! " 

KHAULT. 

i, "  I  have 
t  to  hle»i 
)me8  from 
'sued  and 
If  I  am 
Absalom, 


ed  in  the 
mself  the 
irrow  waa 

Chantal. 

said  that 
aded  from 
rgetic  and 
Sevigni. 


ire  nevet- 
and  the 
ry  of  the 

1  a  senMi> 
the  voice 
as  His 
end  upou 
so  niani 
ostJes  to 
d  of  the 
lat  these 

BisecrateU 


1 


to  all  *he  three ;  which  is  confirmed  by  these  words  of  SL 
John :  "  There  are  three  who  give  testimony  in  heaven,  the 
Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  these  three  are 
but  onr." 

This  mystery  is  the  grand  object  of  our  faith,  and  there 
is  none  of  which  our  religion  so  often  reminds  us.  All  our 
prayers  begin  and  end  with  the  invocation  of  the  Holy  Tri- 
nity, and  the  sign  of  the  cross  which  recurs  so  often  in  the 
ceremonies  of  the  Church  and  in  the  individual  acts  of 
Christians,  is  made  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Although  the  divine  nature  then  is  o?ie  and  indivisible,  the 
three  persons  of  which  it  is  composed  are  entirely  distinct, 
one  from  the  other ;  the  Son  is  the  same  God  as  the  Father 
but  not  the  same  person,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  although  he 
h  also  the  same  God  as  the  Father  and  the  Son,  is  yel 
equally  distinct  from  .    ih. 

Tiiese  three  persons  are  not  three  Gods,  but  only  one, 
because  they  have  but  one  and  the  same  divinity;  thence  it 
follows  that  the  three  are  equal  in  all  things,  and  that  neither 
of  tliom  is  greater,  nor  more  powerful,  nor  more  ancient 
than  the  others,  since  they  have  all  three  the  same  great- 
ness, the  same  power,  the  same  eternity. 

Tliis  mystery,  that  is  to  say,  this  incomprehensible  truth, 
is  beyond  the  reach  of  our  understanding,  but  yet  it  is  not 
contrary  to  reason,  for  we  say  not :  "  Three  Gods  make 
but  one  God" — but  only  "Three  persons  forming  but  one 
God."  Neither  are  we  to  figure  to  ourselves  three  persons 
having  body  and  soul  like  unto  us,  for  the  three  persons  of 
the  (xodhead  are  purely  spiritual. 

The  first  person  of  this  adorable  mystery  is  the  Father, 
the  second  person  is  the  Son,  begotten  of  the  Father  from 
all  eternity,  and  the  third  is  the  Holy  Ghost  who  proceeds 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son. 

This  is  the  sum  of  all  that  it  has  pleased  God  to  make 
known  to  us  of  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity — a  mystery  so 
sublime  that  the  human  mind  could  never  comprehend  it ; 
but  God,  who  is  truth  itself,  and  who  can  neither  deceive 
nor  be  deceived,  has  revealed  it  to  us,  and  we  are  bound  to 
believe  It  on  the  infallible  authority  of  His  word. 


'J 


■.wmdr.:%^^^ 


lif 


'f'tt(,. 


!:;.  .i 


■il'V 


90 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


Nothing,  in  fact,  is  more  reasonable  than  that  we  should 
submit  our  reason  to  the  authority  of  God.  It  is  not  merely 
in  things  which  relate  to  God  that  our  reason  is  at  fault,  for 
even  in  natural  things  how  many  are  there  that  we  cannot 
understand,  yet  are  they  not  the  less  certain  and  indubitable ! 

Can  we  conceive,  for  instance,  how  a  single  grain  of  com 
thrown  into  the  earth,  produces  a  multitude  of  others  ?  or 
how  a  dry  and  arid  trunk  can  put  forth  an  infinite  variety 
of  leaves  and  flowers,  and  fruits  of  the  most  delicious  fla 
vour,  with  a  thousand  other  phenomena  which  natuie  every 
day  presents  to  our  eyes  ?  When  an  astronomer  speaks  to 
his  pupils  of  the  immensity  of  the  heavens,  of  the  number 
of  the  stars,  their  size,  their  distance  from  us,  and  the  rapid- 
ity of  their  motions ;  when  he  tells  them,  for  instance,  that 
the  sun  is  fourteen  hundred  thousand  times  larger  than  our 
earth,  and  that  it  is  thirty-four  millions  of  leagues  distant, 
they  cannot  understand  him;  nevertheless,  knowing  that 
they  are  yet  but  children,  they  believe  it  on  the  word  of  a 
man  in  whom  they  have  confidence.  When  the  nature  of 
God  is  in  question,  all  men  are  but  as  children.  They  shall 
one  day  attain  the  fullness  of  mature  age ;  then  the  shades 
shall  disappear  from  before  their  eyes,  and  they  shal'  soe  clearly 
what  now  they  can  neither  penetrate  nor  comprehend.  "  To 
attempt  diving  into  this  mystery  is  rashness,"  says  St.  Au- 
gustine, "  to  believe  it  by  the  light  of  faith,  is  the  fruit  of 
piety ;  to  contemplate  it,  in  the  other  life,  is  the  sovereign 
felicity." 

The  soul  of  man  is  a  magnificent  image  and  reflex  of 
the  Trinity :  like  the  Father,  it  has  being ;  like  the  Son,  it 
has  intelligence — and  like  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  has  love.  Like 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  has  in  its  being, 
its  intelligence,  and  its  love,  one  and  the  same  happiness, 
one  and  the  same  life.  Nothing  can  be  taken  frorri  it  unless 
all  be  taken.  Perfect  in  its  being,  its  intelligr;nce,  and  its 
love,  it  understands  all  that  it  is,  it  loves  all  tliat  it  under- 
stands, its  being  and  its  operations  are  insepai  «ble  •  happy 
for  it,  if  it  can  only  preserve  and  secure  its  own  happiness. 

Example. — Two  men  who  were  blind  from  their  birth, 
were  one  day  conversing:   one  of  the  two  was  ignorant 


* 

and 

stru 

wh* 

WOI 

tion 

beff 

*i 

mig 

mer 
Rprv 

•U' 


r.-) WARDS  OUD. 


81 


Q  should 
t  merely 
fault,  for 
?  cannot 
ibitable ! 
I  of  com 
lers?  or 
5  variety 
ious  fla 
re  every 
peaks  to 

number 
le  rapid- 
ice,  that 
;han  our 

distant, 
ng  that 
3rd  of  a 
iture  of 
ey  shall 
3  shades 
?  clearly 
1.    "To 

St.  Au- 
fruit  of 
)ve  reign 

sflex  of 
)  Son,  it 
3.  Like 
ts  being, 
ppiuess, 
it  unlesi 
and  its 
;  under- 
•  happy 
)pines& 

ir  birth, 
gnorant 


••i, 


and  impious,  but  the  other  was  both  pious  and  well  in- 
structed The  impious  man  said  :  "  I  should  like  to  know 
what  was  God  doing  for  all  eternity,  before  he  created  the 
world?"  The  other  replied:  "That  is  just  as4dle  a  ques- 
tion as  if  I  inquired  what  you  were  doing  all  your  lifta 
before  I  knew  you.  God  was  occupied  with  himself,  and  it 
might  be  thinking  of  creating  a  hell  for  the  future  punish- 
ment of  those  who  would  not  believe  in  him,  or  refused  to 
serve  him."  "  But,"  said  the  scoffer,  "  I  want  to  know  how 
there  can  be  three  persons  in  God,  each  of  the  three  being 
God,  although  there  is  but  one  God  ? — Truly  it  is  a  strange 
thing,  and  I  think  one  is  very  foolish  to  believe  what  they 
do  not  understand !"  "  I  believe  firmly,"  returned  the 
other,  "  that  there  is  but  one  God,  in  three  really  distinct 
persons,  each  of  whom  is  God,  and  in  believing  thus,  I  act 
not  as  a  fool,  assuredly,  but  as  a  wise  man  should !"  "  Prove 
that  to  me,"  cried  the  godless  man,  "  and  I  will  make  you 
a  present  of  my  stick  which  is  a  very  good  one,  and  a  very 
handsome  one,  too."  And  pray  how  do  you  know  that 
your  stick  is  handsome  ?  What  can  a  blind  man  know  of 
beauty  ?  We  who  are  blind  can  realize  to  ourselves  nothing 
of  what  they  call  colour.  Who  could  make  us  understand 
what  it  is,  and  what  constitutes  the  difference  between  red 
and  yellow,  green  and  blue  ?  Are  we  then  to  deny  that 
there  are  colours,  and  that  there  is  a  differeiice  between 
them,  until  we  can  understand  what  that  difference  is?" 
**  Certainly  not,"  was  the  reply,  "  we  have  so  many  reasons 
for  believing  it — all  men  who  are  not  blind  tell  us  so.** 
"  And  so  there  are  men  who  tell  us  that  there  are  colours, 
and  we  believe  them,  but  it  is  a  God  who  has  revealed  to 
us  the  mysteries  of  which  we  spoke  just  now,  and  yet  we 
will  not  believe  him !  Have  we  not  much  more  reason  to 
believe  in  the  existence  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  in  all  the 
other  mysteries,  than  in  the  existence  of  colours  ?  The 
Christian  religion,  which  teaches  us  all  the  mysteries  ot 
faith,  is  divinely  demonstrated — go  and  learn  them  of  her ! 
If  we  believe  during  life,  and  die  as  Christians  should,  we 
shall  go  to  heaven,  and  once  there  we  shall  be  no  longer 
blind.  Then  we  shall  see  God  face  to  face  and  as  he 
really  is. 


Mi 


•  *■■ 


t   ,1 


!<J 


(ill 


y,\ 


4 

!   i 


ti     ' 


lUi.  ifii 


^''; 


t  ■ 


n  DUTY    OF   TUB    CHRISTIAN 

ARTICLE    VII. 

/  believe  in  God,  the  Father  AlmigJUyf  Cre<Uor  of  Heaven 

and  Earth. 

OP  THE  CREATION. 

This  world  whicn  we  here  behold,  has  not  alwayi 
ccistod,  and  this  fact  is  sufficiently  manifest,  being  proved  in 
various  ways.  In  going  back  towards  the  period  of  crea- 
tion, us  determined  by  the  Holy  Scriptures,  we  see  that 
every  thing  commences — arts,  sciences,  nations  and  em- 
pires. There  is  no  monument,  no  fact,  no  history  to  tell 
us  tiiat  the  world  had  previously  existed.  The  book  which 
refers  the  creation  of  the  world  to  that  precise  date  is  itself 
the  most  ancient  of  all  books,  and  like  all  other  portions  of 
the  Bible,  it  is  the  most  authentic,  and  the  most  worthy  of 
belief.  The  first  word  of  that  book  is  In  the  beginning 
God  created  the  Jieavens  and  the  earth,  that  is  to  say,  that 
he  made  all  things  of  nothing.  God  had  existed  of  himself, 
and  nothing  existed  but  only  himself.  At  the  moment  when 
he  willed  it,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  came  forth  from 
nothing ;  he  created  them  solely  by  his  word  and  by  his 
will.  "  God  spoke"  says  the  Scripture,  " and  all  was  made , 
he  commandedy  and  the  universe  was  created"  The  voice 
of  God  is  no  other  than  his  Almighty  will. 

Let  us  transport  ourselves  in  spirit  to  the  moment  of  the 
ci'eation,  and  with  what  astonishment  should  we  not  have 
beerx  struck  on  beholding  at  every  word  ot  the  Almighty  a 
multitude  of  creatures  spring  into  existence,  each  fair  and 
perfect  in  its  kind ! 

God  employed  six  days  in  this  great  work :  but  he  could 
have  done  it  all  in  an  instant,  had  he  not  designed  to  show 
HE  tliat  he  is  supremely  free,  and  acts  without  any  restraint, 
in  whatever  way  seems  good  to  him. 

On  the  first  day,  God  created  the  heavens,  the  earth,  and 
the  sea.  He  then  said :  "  Let  there  be  light,  and  the  light 
uas  made."  Words  how  simple,  but  how  full  of  power  and 
of  majesty! 

The  second  day,  he  created  the  firmament,  or  that  im- 
mense dome  which  we  call  the  heavens.     "  Let  there  be  a 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


m 


)/  Heaven 


t    alMayi 
proved  in 
\  of  crea- 
see  that 
and   em* 
)ry  to  tell 
ok  whicli 
e  is  itself 
(rtions  of 
•'orthy  of 
beginning 
say,  that 
f  himself, 
ent  when 
>rth  from 
d  by  his 
as  made , 
riie  voice 

nt  of  the 

not  have 

mighty  a 

fair  and 

he  could 

to  show 

restraint, 

irth,  and 
the  light 
>wer  and 

that  im> 
3re  be  a 


JirmamerU  made"  mM  the  f-^rd,  •*  and  the  Jirmamfnt  va» 
made!"  But  the  firmument  whi  then  without  splendour, 
for  the  sun  and  the  stars  which  rendered  it  soon  sobrilliunt, 
were  not  yet  made  :  it  was  then  like  a  vast  pavillion,  with- 
out ornaments  of  any  kind. 

On  the  third  day,  (!  »d  gathered  together  the  waters  which 
had  been  spread  abroad  every  where,  and  He  commanded 
the  earth  to  bring  forth  her  plants  and  trees.  At  his  won!, 
an  arid  and  sterile  surface  became  suddenly  a  smiling  land> 
scape,  interspersed  with  verdant  meadows,  rich  vallies,  hillti 
and  mountains  crowned  with  forests,  the  whole  strewn  with 
flowers  and  fruits  of  every  species ;  and  what  is  more  won- 
derful than  all,  is,  that  each  plant  received  at  the  same  time 
the  power  to  re-produce  itself  by  the  seed  which  it  contains. 

On  thf  fourth  day,  God  created  the  sun  and  the  moon, 
and  adorned  the  firmament  with  that  multitude  of  stars 
which  strikes  the  eye  and  astonishes  tlie  mind. 

The  fifth  day,  He  created  the  fishes  and  the  birds ;  He 
said :  "  Let  the  waters  bring  forth  the  creeping  creature 
having  life,  and  the  fowl  that  may  fiy  over  the  earth  under 
die  firmament  of  heaven  ;  and  these  words  filled  the  sea 
with  inhabitants,  and  peopled  the  air  with  an  infinite  number 
of  birds. 

On  the  sixth  day,  God  created  the  animals :  *'  Let  the 
earth  bring  forth  the  living  creature,  in  its  kind"  and  thus 
were  created  the  numberless  animals  which  inhabit  the 
earth,  from  the  smallest  worm  to  the  enormous  elephant, 
from  the  bee  which  hums  through  our  gardens  to  the  eagle 
which  soars  over  the  mountains;  from  the  smallest  insect  to 
the  monstrous  serpent,  the  terror  of  the  desert ;  and  from 
the  imperceptible  animalcule  to  those  living  mountain! 
which  agitate  the  seas.  What  admirable  variety  in  their 
forms  and  in  their  inclinations  !  To  some  He  gave  strength, 
to  others  industry,  and  to  all  he  gave  the  qualities  necessary 
for  fulfilling  their  destiny.  Finally,  all  the  other  creatures 
being  formed,  God  resolved  to  give  them  a  master,  and  He 
then  created  the  first  man  whom  He  named  Adam. 

Example. — There  can  be  nothing  more  ridiculous  than 
Uie  systems  of  the  ancient  philosophers  on  the  origin  of  tbtf 


'•1 


t  .■^mmt.mmukiiiKr'  -w.r' 


'"JiT 


iF:' 


34 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


world.  Some  thought  the  world  eternal ,  others  have  attri* 
buted  its  formation  to  (jhance.  Democritus,  who  retired 
into  the  tombs,  to  the  end  that  his  meditations  might  not  be 
distrrbed  by  the  conversation  of  the  living,  attributed  the 
creation  of  the  world  and  even  the  liberty  of  man  to  the 
accidental  meeting  of  atoms.  This  system,  which  was  also 
that  of  Epicurus  and  of  Lucretius,  is  a  disgrace  to  the 
human  mind.  According  to  Thales,  the  origin  of  all  things 
is  (uving  to  water ;  according  to  Anaximenes,  it  is  to  air, 
while  Heraclitus  believed  it  to  be  from  fire. 

One  philosopher  pretended  that  man  was  born  of  the 
foam  of  the  sea,  heated  by  the  rays  of  the  sun ;  another, 
that  he  came  of  the  oyster,  which  being  matured,  became  a 
fish,  the  fish  became  an  amphibious  animal,  which  in  ita 
turn  became  a  quadruped,  the  quadruped  became  an  ape, 
and  the  ape,  in  its  perfect  state,  became  a  man. 

Thomas 


CHAPTER    II. 

OF  THE    ANGELS    AND    OF    MAN. 


The  angels  and  man  are  the  most  perfect  creatures  whom 
God  has  created,  because  they  alone  are  gifted  with  intel- 
ligence, and  capable  of  knowing  and  loving  their  Creator, 
and  also  because  they  are  destined  to  be  eternally  happy  in 
possessing  him.  

ARTICLE    I 


.$ 


^'\-M 


OF   THE    ANGELS. 

Although  there  is  nothing  said  of  the  angels  in  the  ac- 
count of  the  creation,  it  is  believed  that  they  were  created 
on  the  first  day,  when  God  said :  "  Let  light  be  made" 
This  is  the  opinion  of  St.  Augustin.  "  God  made  the  angeli 
in  heaven,*'  says  the  Holy  Scripture,  "  and  he  created  an 
innumerable  r-:^ultitude  of  them.*' 

The  angels  are  pure  spirits,  that  is  to  say,  intelligences 
which  are  not  destined,  like  our  souls,  to  be  united  with 
bodies. 


lave  attri> 
tio  retired 
^ht  not  be 
buted  the 
an  to  the 
was  also 
ce  to  tho 
all  things 
is  to  air, 

rn  of  tlM» 
another, 
became  a 
ich  in  its 
)  an  ape, 

rHOMAS 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


S5 


res  whom 

i^ith  intel- 

Creator, 

happy  in 


n  the  ac- 
e  created 
e  made,** 
le  angela 
eated  an 

illigences 
ited  with 


f 


S 
•'ft- 


ts 


The  word  ctngel  signifies  messenger^  and  we  find  in  Sa- 
cred Writ  a  great  number  of  occasions  on  which  these 
blessed  spirits  were  sent  as  deputies  to  man  :  the  archangel 
Gabriel  was  sent  to  Zacharias  and  to  the  Blessed  Virgin ; 
Raphael  to  Tobias  and  others,  and  we  know  that  Abraham, 
Jacob,  Gideon,  Moses,  and  several  other  personages  of  the 
Old  Testament  were  favoured  with  angelic  visions.  Tiw- 
angels  are  represented  with  wings,  to  show  the  promptituJe 
with  which  they  execute  the  orders  of  God. 

All  the  angels  were  created  free,  consequently  all  could 
have  remained  faithful  and  merited  the  happiness  for  which 
they  were  destined ;  but  the  first  amongst  them,  called 
Lucifer y  because  of  the  radiance  with  which  God  had 
adorned  him,  chose  to  forget  all  that  he  owed  to  his 
Creator,  and  would  become  his  equal.  A  great  number  of 
the  heavenly  spirits  followed  his  example,  but  a  far  greater 
number  ranged  themselves  with  the  archangel  St.  Michael, 
who  smote  and  overthrew  the  rebels,  crying,  "  Who  is  like 
unto  God?"  Who  is  like  unto  him — great,  powerful,  holy, 
merciful  and  just  ? 

Thus  these  wicked  spirits  were  precipitated  into  hell, 
where  they  shall  be  tormented  for  all  eternity. 

la  c>Tder  that  we  may  have  an  opportunity  of  proving 
our  love  for  him,  and  of  earning  a  greater  reward,  God 
permits  us  to  be  tempted  b}'  these  spirits  of  darkness ;  hut 
he  gives  us  at  the  same  time  the  graces  which  may  enable 
us  to  resist  them.  We  can  ward  off  their  attacks  by  watch- 
fulness and  prayer,  and  subdue  them  by  the  merits  of 
Christ's  sufferings  and  death. 

The  angels  who  remained  faithful  were  confirmed  in 
grace,  and  entered  into  the  joy  of  the  Lord,  to  bo  blest 
for  all  eternity,  in  the  contemplation  of  his  adorable  per- 
fections. 

Tiiere  are  three  hierarchies  of  these  celestial  spirits,  and 
each  hierarchy  contains  three  different  orders. 

The  first  hierarchy  comprises  the  Seraphim,  the  Cherubim, 
and  the  Thrones ;  the  second,  the  Dominations,  the  Virtues, 
and  the  Powers ;  and  the  third,  the  Principalities,  the  Arch 
angels,  and  the  Angels. 

We  know,  by  the  sacred  writings,  that  the  occupation  of 


v>i 


I 

1^ 


I 
I 


tin 
'J- , 
,'"  J 


0 


DUTY    OP  THE    CHRISTIAN 


4 


I 


the  angois  is  to  adore  God  and  sing  his  praises ;  also,  to 
present  to  him  oui  prayers,  and  to  protect  those  who  invoke 
their  aid. 

We  should  cherish  a  great  repect  for  all  these  blesseol 
spirits,  but  we  ought  especially  to  honour  our  guardian  an- 

Sds.  We  learn  from  the  lips  of  Christ  himself,  that  even 
le  smallest  child  has  one  of  these  heavenly  spirits 
lo  guard  and  guide  it  What  a  consolation  it  is  for  us  to 
oe  assured  that  we  have  ever  near  us  a  protector  sent  by 
ufoQ  trom  heaven,  to  watch  night  and  day  over  our  safety, 
HMd  to  shield  us  from  the  malignant  attacks  of  the  angel  of 
aarkness ;  that  we  have  in  him  a  true  friend,  who  is  faithful, 
wise,  enlightened  and  powerful — a  sure  and  safe  guide,  who 
IS  at  all  times  desirous  of  conducting  us  onward  in  the  way 
Uiat  leads  to  heaven  !  Should  we  ever  forget  what  the  an- 
gels do  for  us  :  and  shall  not  the  remembrance  thereof  open 
our  hearts  to  sentiments  of  respect,  gratitude,  confidence 
and  love ! — Will  it  not  induce  us  to  be  docile  to  their  inspi- 
rations— to  pray  to  them  often  and  with  sincere  devotion, 
and  to  imitate  them  in  their  fidelity  to  God !" 


■   '"it 


!!'■ 


Example. — After  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  captivity, 
the  holy  man  Tobias,  believing  himself  near  his  end,  and 
desirous  of  recovering  for  his  son  a  considerable  sum  which 
he  had  lent  to  one  of  his  relations,  named  Gabelus,  advised 
him  to  seek  a  faithful  guide  to  conduct  him  to  Ecbatana, 
where  this  relation  lived.  The  young  Tobias  having  gone 
out  for  this  purpose,  encountered  the  archangel  Raphael, 
under  the  form  of  a  wayfaring  young  man,  who  immediately 
offered  to  be  his  guide.  When  they  had  arrived  near  Rages, 
the  heavenly  conductor  informed  Tobias  that  God  willed 
him  to  espouse  Sarah,  the  daughter  of  Raguel,  one  of  hia 
own  relatives.  On  hearing  this,  the  young  man  was  struck 
with  fear,  remembering  that  Sarah  had  already  been  tlie 
wife  of  seven  husbands,  who  were  all  dead.  The  angel  re- 
assured him,  however,  promising  that  no  evil  should  befall 
him  if  he  would  only  take  his  advice,  which  Tobias  faith- 
fiiUy  did. 

Gabelus,  being  invited  to  the  wedding,  brought  with  him 


iij 


s;  also,  to 
^ho  invoke 

ese  blesseoi 
lardian  an- 

that  even 
ily  spirits 
J  for  us  to 
;or  sent  by 
our  safety, 
le  angel  of 

is  faithful, 
guide,  w^ho 
in  the  way 
hat  the  an- 
lereof  open 
confidence 
their  inspi- 
3  devotion, 


1  captivity, 
1  end,  and 
sum  which 
us,  advised 
Ecbatana, 
iving  gone 
1  Raphael, 
(imediately 
Bar  Rages, 
od  willed 
one  of  hia 
A^as  struck 
been  tlie 
angel  re- 
)uld  befall 
bias  faith- 

t  with  him 


TOWARDS    GOD.  SI 

the  sum  which  he  owed  Tobias,  and  after  a  few  days,  th(0 
travellers  set  out  to  retrace  their  way  to  Palestine. 

Being  returned  to  the  paternal  house,  the  young  Tobias 
adored  God,  according  as  he  had  been  admonished  by  the 
ungel ;  then  approaching  his  father  who  was  blind,  he  nibbed 
his  eyes  with  the  gall  of  a  monstrous  fish  which  he  bad 
caught  in  the  Tigris  during  his  journey,  whereupon  the  holy 
old  man  was  instantly  restored  to  sight. 

When  he  had  thus  fulfilled  his  mission,  the  angel  made 
himself  known,  saying  to  the  elder  Tobias:  "The  Lord 
hath  sent  me  to  heal  thee,  and  to  deliver  Sarah,  thy  son's 
M'ife,  from  the  devih  For  I  am  the  angel  Raphael,  one  of 
the  seven  who  stand  before  the  Lord,  ever  ready  to  execute 
his  will.  When  you  prayed  and  wept,  and  when  you  were 
burying  the  dead,  1  presented  your  prayers  to  God,  and  he 
was  pleased  to  receive  them  favourably ;  therefore,  and  be 
cause  you  were  pleasing  to  God,  it  was  necessary  that  yon 
should  be  tried  by  sufl^Bring."  He  then  said :  "  Peace  be 
with  you!"  and  disappeared.  These  services  rendered  to 
Tobias  by  the  archangel  are  emblematical  of  what  our 
guardian  angels  daily  do  for  us. 


ARTICLE    n. 

OP   MAN. 

In  order  to  distinguish  man  from  the  other  visible  crea- 
tures, God  seemed  to  re-collect  himself  before  creating  hira : 
" Let  us  make  man"  said  he,  " to  our  ovm  image  and  like- 
ness." His  body  he  formed  of  the  slime  of  the  earth,  and 
then  he  infused  into  him  an  intelligent  soul,  capable  of 
loving,  willing  and  thinking — and  it  is  in  this  that  man  ro- 
Bembles  God,  and  is  capable  of  possessing  him  for  all  eter- 
nity, if  he  render  himself  worthy  of  that  happiness  by  the 
practice  of  those  virtues  marked  out  for  him. 

It  became  necessary  for  the  first  man  to  have  a  com- 
panion :  she  was  taken  from  his  own  side  and  received  the 
name  of  Eve,  and  thus  was  marriage  instituted.  All  men 
are  descended  from  these  first  parents,  and  ought  therefore 


■  "^i 


*• 

iifi 

■!,    It 

it*-! 

(  ^ 
■   I 

■■   'l 

;*■ 


if 


m 


■-awC'-*J»«a^„ 


H4' 


"fm 


m 


36 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHRISTIAN 


to  form  but  one  and  the  same  family,  loving  each  otlier  na 
the  children  of  a  common  father. 

Man  does  not  consist  of  a  material  body  only ;  he  has 
a  soul  capable  of  thinking  and  of  loving, — a  soul  whose 
nature  is  incorruptible  and  which  is  destined  to  live  forevor 

Example. — One  of  the  Roman  emperors  had  a  slag 
which  his  people  had  succeeded  in  taming,  He  was  fed  at 
the  palace,  whither  he  returned  every  day,  after  having 
visited  the  neighbouring  forests.  This  animal  was  highl}? 
prized  by  the  emperor,  who,  fearing  that  he  might  stray 
away  where  some  one  not  knowing  to  whom  he  belonged, 
might  give  chase  to  him  and  wound  him,  he  had  a  golden 
collar  put  around  his  neck,  with  the  inscription :  "  Touch 
me  not ;  I  belong  to  Ccpsar."  We  come  from  God — we 
belong  to  God — we  are  his  property.  He  has  marked  us 
with  his  seal ;  our  soul  and  its  faculties,  our  body  and  all 
our  senses  bear  the  impress  of  the  Divinity.  Let  us  then 
never  be  led  away  by  bad  example,  or  taken  captive  by  the 
spirit  of  malice,  our  great  adversary  acting  through  the 
medium  of  our  passions. 


ARTICLE    IIL 

or  THE  SPIRITUALITY  AND   IMMORTALITY  OP  THE  SOUL, 

It  is  not  only  the  faithful  of  the  New  Law  who  profess 
to  believe  in  the  immortality  of  the  pouI  ;  for  the  patriarchs 
and  prophets  of  old,  and  all  the  adorers  of  the  true  God 
have  believed  it,  and  made  that  belief  the  motive  of  all  their 
actions.  The  great  men  of  antiquity,  Plato,  Aristotle, 
Cicero,  and  a  multitude  of  others,  discovered  by  the  light 
of  reason,  aided  by  some  traditional  remembrances,  that 
death  is  not  the  otid  of  all  man's  nature,  but  that  he  stil! 
survives  to  himself,  after  having  undergone  that  final  stroke, 
which  is,  in  reality  nothing  more  than  the  separation  of  the 
two  substances — the  body  and  the  soul,  which  constitute 
his  being. 

And  in  fact,  we  can  no  more  doubt  that  our  nature  is 
tomposed  of  two  substances,  than  we  ran  doubt  our  owb 


if 

I 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


39 


ch  other  as 

ly ;  he  has 
soul  whose 
live  forevor 

had  a  stag 
!  was  fed  at 
fter  having 
was  highly 
might  stray 
e  belonged, 
^d  a  golden 
n :  "  Touch 
1  God — we 
marked  us 
ody  and  all 
jet  us  then 
ptive  by  the 
through  the 


'HE  soui;,. 

kvho  profess 
3  patriarchs 

true  God 
of  all  their 

Aristotle, 
jy  the  light 
ances,  that 
tliat  he  stil! 
inal  stroke, 
ation  of  the 

constitute 

r  nature  is 
)t  our  owB 


existence,  for,  most  assuredly  that  which  thinks  within  us, 
which  meditates,  calculates,  compares,  reflects — that  which 
is  capable  of  such  an  endless  variety  of  knowledge  and 
of  sentiments  cannot  be  nifvterial.  But  the  doctrine  of  the 
soul's  immortality  rests  not  on  simple  conjecture,  nor  on 
mere  probability :  the  primitive  revelation,  the  general  coii« 
viction  of  mankind,  the  idea  which  God  has  given  us  of  his 
goodness,  of  his  power,  and  of  his  justice ;  these  are  the 
foundations  of  a  truth  as  consoling  for  the  good,  as  it  is 
dreadful  for  the  M'icked. 

After  his  sin,  man  was  condemned  to  death,  and  his  body 
was  to  return  to  the  dust  whence  it  was  taken  ;  but  if  his 
soul  were  to  perish  with  his  body — if  that  principle  of  life 
emanating  from  the  Creator  was  to  be  annihilated,  then 
the  promise  of  a  Redeemer  was  absurd  and  unmeaning. 
So  the  dogma  of  a  future  life,  and  the  consequent  immor- 
tality of  the  soul  was  always  one  of  the  fundamental 
articles  of  the  primitive  religion, — it  was  the  joy  and  hope 
of  our  first  parents,  as  it  will  also  be  ours  if  we  faithfully 
observe  the  commandments  which  the  Lord  has  given  us. 

The  ])elief  of  a  future  existence  and  that  of  the  immor- 
tality of  tlie  soul,  has  been  generally  received  by  all  the 
nations  of  the  world;  idolatry,  far  from  destroying  it,  had 
given  it  new  strength,  or  rather  it  was  the  very  abuse  of 
that  belief  which  formed  one  of  the  sources  of  idolatry 
for  the  apotheosis  of  great  men,  and  the  custom  of  paying 
them  divine  honours  after  their  death  would  never  have  been 
established,  if  they  had  believed  that  death  ended  all  - 
both  soul  and  body. 

In  creating  a  being  of  such  vast  capacity  as  our  soul, 
God  could  have  had  no  other  part  than  that  of  rendering  it 
happy  in  the  possession  of  something  worthy  of  it,  and  of 
its  works.  Is  happiness  to  be  found  in  this  world  ?  Is  the 
most  vbiLjoaa  .uan  always?  the  happiest?  Alas!  we  see  by 
daily  experience  that  the  cjntrary  is  the  case. 

The  divine  justice  is  yet  another  proof  of  the  immortality 
of  the  sonl:  often  do  we  see  in  this  world,  vice  triumphant, 
and  virtue  humbled  to  the  lowest  pitch — the  impious  happy, 
and  the  just  unhappy.  It  is  then  absolutely  necessary  that 
order  should  be  re  established — that  vice  should  be  punish* 


m 

Vi 


i 


y  ->•' 


^H 


ri 


& 


-'^.■mt.^*Jmt& 


f! 


W 


El 


'■  4 


'M 


>*•, 


m 


[;.''i^in 


K 


40 


DU'i'Y  OF  THE  CIIUISTtAW 


ed  and  virtue  rewarded.  Rut  how  would  that  order  he  estab- 
lished, aPid  tl)e  divine  justice  exercise  its  rights,  if  llie  som 
were  not  immortal  ? 

It  will  perhaps  be  said  that  remorse  is  the  punishment  of 
crime ;  but  what  would  remorse  be  without  faith  ?  We  mav 
then  conclude  that  to  deny  the  spirituality  of  the  soul,  and 
ts  consequent  immortality,  is  to  falsify  not  only  the  belief 
and  the  opinion  of  all  nations,  but  even  reason  and  common 
sense. 

This  truth,  professed  in  all  ages  and  by  almost  all  nations, 
is,  doubtless,  a  fearful  truth  for  the  impious ;  it  pursues  him 
go  where  he  will,  and  rends  his  very  heart,  notwithstanding 
all  his  efforts  to  shake  it  off.  The  free  course  which  he 
gives  to  his  passions,  makes  him  dread  that  eternity  from 
which  he  has  nothing  good  to  expect;  he  would  fain  not 
believe,  but  remorse  [iursues  him — he  doubts,  but  cannot 
persuade  or  convince  himself.  Hence  it  is  that  incredulity 
betrays  h  guilty  soul.  "  When  the  thought  of  the  future 
arises  before  the  unbelieving,"  says  Young,  "  they  shrink — 
they  tremble — they  doubt — and  believe." 

The  just,  on  the  contrary,  find  in  this  belief  that  strength 
which  enables  them  to  bear  patiently  the  sufferings  and  afflic- 
tions of  the  present  life — it  is,  moreover,  his  hope  for  eternity. 

Example. — Some  hours  before  his  death,  Bemardme  de 
St.  Pierre,  author  of  The  Studies  of  Nature,  seeing  his 
children  weeping  around  his  bed,  addressed  to  them  these 
touching  words:  "This  is  no  more  than  a  separation  of 
some  days — do  not,  I  pray  you,  render  it  so  painful  to  me. 
[  feel  that  I  am  quitting  the  earth,  but  not  life.  Farewell, 
my  beloved  ones ! — shun  evil — do  good — live  as  Christians 
and  wo  shall  one  day  meet  again." 


ARTICLE   IV. 

THE    FALL    OF    SIAN. 


When  man  came  forth  from  the  hands  of  his  Creator,  he 
was  just,  holy,  happy,  and  adorned  with  many  excellent 
gifts,  his  mind  being  also  illumined  with  a  divine  light,  re* 


I  right 
I  the  ti 
^  or  an 


■iii 


TOWARDS  GOD 


41 


dcr  be  cstab- 
s,  if  tho  soui 

misli merit  of 
I?  We  m:iv 
the  soul,  and 
ily  the  belief 
and  common 

it  all  nations, 
pursues  him 
withstanding 
se  which  he 
eternity  from 
)uld  fain  not 
,  but  cannot 
it  incredulity 
)f  the  future 
hey  shrink — 

that  strenrjfih 
igs  and  afflic- 
B  for  eternity. 

lemardnie  de 
3,  S9eing  his 
;o  tlioni  these 
eparation  of 
>ainful  to  me. 
3.  Farewell, 
IS  Christians 


s  Creator,  he 
my  excellent 
vine  light,  re* 


veaimg  to  him  all  that  he  ought  to  know.  For  his  instniction 
neltner  books,  nor  masters  were  required.  His  will  was 
right,  and  without  any  tendency  to  evil;  nothing  disturbed 
the  trancjuillity  of  his  soul :  his  body  was  not  subject  to  pain, 
or  any  inconvenience,  and  he  was  not  destined  to  die. 

Nevertheless,  the  majesty  of  God  required  of  man  the 
devotion  of  his  heart,  and  proofs  of  his  love  and  of  his  obe- 
dience :  hence  it  was  that  when  placing  him  in  the  teires- 
trial  paradise,  he  forbade  him  to  touch  one  particular  fruit, 
giving  liim,  however,  the  use  of  all  the  others.  This  one 
commandment^  so  easy  to  be  observed,  especially  at  that 
time  when  man  was  still  innocent,  and  had  no  leaning 
towards  evil,  being  on  the  contrary,  rather  inclined  to  good, 
was  accompanied  by  the  most  fearful  menace,  nothing  less, 
indeed,  than  the  penalty  of  death.  But  notwithstanding 
all  the  favours  which  they  had  received  from  God,  and  dis- 
regarding his  threats,  the  woman  allowed  herself  to  he  se- 
duced by  the  devil,  who  had  taken  the  form  of  a  serj^ent ; 
and  having  herself  eaten  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  she  oflereU 
it  to  Adam,  and  involved  him  in  her  own  disobedience. 

From  that  moment  all  was  chang  3d  for  them,  and  they 
lost  all  the  advantages  which  God  had  given  them  at  their 
creation.  Their  souls  were  overspread  with  darkness  ;  their 
will  became  perverse;  passion  obscured  the  light  of  reason, 
and  their  inclinations  became  ^^orrupt  and  tending  to  evil. 
iln  losing  their  innocence,  and  separating  themselves  from 
•pod  they  exposed  their  souls  to  eternal  damnation,  while 
their  bodies  became  subject  to  pain,  sickness  and  death. 

The  fiightful  consequences  of  the  sin  of  Adam  have 
passed  to  all  his  descendants,  because  that  his  sin  has  itself 
fallen  on  all  men,  who  are  descended  from  him.  When  lie 
disobeyed  God,  he  destroyed  himself,  and  with  himself,  all 
mankind,  whose  father  he  is.  We  are  now  the  inheritoi3 
oi^  his  crime  and  of  his  disgrace,  as  we  should  otherwise 
have  been  of  his  innocence  and  bliss. 

All  have  sinned,  through  the  first  man,  and  all  have  dis- 
oI>eyed  in  him ;  so  that  his  sin,  transfer.  9d  to  us,  makes  us 
all  guilty,  even  before  our  birth.  An  incomprehensible 
truth  tliis  IS,  but  it  is  one  that  religion  permits  us  not.  tu 
doubi.     It  Is,  in  fact,  tho  fundamental  dogma  of  the  C'luis- 

4* 


1 

itl 


n 

W 
If', 

■£';] 

t 


m 


<f:' 


m 

Mr,  r 


3" 


ill: 


42 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHRISTIiUf 


tian  religion — the  dogma  to  which  she  entirely  refers,  be- 
cause that  sin,  which  is  the  source  of  all  our  evils,  is  also 
the  primary  cause  of  the  need  which  we  had  of  a  Mediator 
and  a  Saviour,  to  reconcile  us  with  God,  to  expiate  our 
sins,  and  to  redeem  us  from  slavery.  It  is  also  one  of  the 
dogmas  most  clearly  set  forth  in  the  Sacred  Scripture. 

Tlie  holy  King  David  says  himself  that  he  was  born  io 
niquity,  and  that  his  mother  had  conceived  him  in  sin. 

The  Apostle  St.  Paul  says  that  by  one  man  sin  has,  en- 
tered into  the  world,  and  by  sin,  death ;  and  that  all  men 
have  thus  been  made  subject  unto  death,  because  through 
that  one  man  all  have  sinned. 

We  are  all  born  guilty,  and  children  of  wrath,  and  hence 
Ihat  first  sin,  in  which  we  are  born,  is  called  original,  or 
transmitted  sin. 

The  pagan  philosophers  themselves,  with  no  other  help 
than  their  own  reason,  suspected  that  man  must  be  born 
under  some  sort  of  guilt,  although  they  could  not  attain  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  as  we  know  it.  It  was  the  sight  of  the 
many  miseries  which  he  has  to  endure  from  bis  very  birth, 
that  brought  them  to  this  conclusion.  In  fact,  witliout  the 
belief  of  original  sin,  man  is  himself  a  mystery  still  more 
incomprehensible,  for  how  are  we  otherwise  to  account  for 
all  the  contradictions  which  are  found  in  him  ?  So  much 
greatness  and  so  much  meanness — so  much  intelligence  and 
so  much  darkness — so  earnest  a  desire  for  happiness  and 
such  profound  wretchedness.  He  approves  of  virtue,  yet 
he  practises  it  not — he  condemns  evil,  yet  commits  it  in 
every  possible  way. 

It  is  only  the  doctrine  of  original  sin  which  can  explain 
away  these  difficulties,  and  reconcile  these  contradictions. 

All  that  there  is  in  man  of  goodness  and  of  intelligence 
comes  from  God,  and  is  the  remnant  of  our  nature  as  it 
wis  first  created,  like  the  mouldering  remains  of  some  nobl? 
building,  beautiful  even  in  'decay.  Ifi^norance  and  vice  are 
the  effects  of  sin,  which  has  disfigfured  the  fair  work  of 
God,  and  defaced  his  image  so  that  it  can  now  be  scarcely, 
if  at  all,  recognised. 

Of  this  same  rigorous  justice  w«  behoW  an  example 
when  a  king  punishes  a  rebellious  Aubjeo*   by  degrading 


/4i 

1 


I 


refers,  be- 
I'ils,  is  also 
L  Mediator 
Xj)iHte  our 
Olio  of  the 
pture. 
IS  born  in 
n  sin. 
ill  luis.  en- 
it  all  now 
56  tlirougb 

and  hence 
original,  or 

other  help 
it  be  born 

attain  the 
ight  of  the 
very  birth, 
I'itliout  the 

still  more 
Bcount  for 

So  much 
igence  and 
)inoss  and 
v^irtue,  yet 
imits  it  in 

in  explain 
idictions. 
itelligence 
ture  as  it 
3me  nobU> 
d  vice  are 
work  of 
I  scarcely, 

example 
degrading 


.1 


i 


TOWAUnS   GOD.  4 

himself  nnd  all  his  posterity.  Nevertheless,  compar'|ona 
diawii  from  human  things  are  always  imperfect.  The  laws 
of  human  justice  are  but  the  shad'-'/  of  tlie  laws  of  God; 
and  though  they  may  assist  our  faich,  they  can  never  reveal 
to  un  the  depth  of  that  impenetrable  mystery. 

(lod  has  created  man,  tc  render  him  and  all  his  posterity 
clcrnally  happy.  He  cann.e  from  his  hands  just  and  holy, 
find  it  rested  with  himself  to  retain  these  blessings  and 
transmit  them  to  his  descendants,  by  remaining  faithful  to 
his  God.  Had  he  but  persevered  in  righteousness,  he  would 
have  communicated  his  own  happiness  to  all  his  offspring ; 
and  ensured  to  them  a  happy  eternity ;  but  his  disobedi- 
ence has  ruined  all,  and  the  consequences  of  his  sin,  that 
is  to  say,  ignorance,  concupiscence,  the  misery  of  life,  the 
death  of  the  body  and  the  loss  of  the  soul,  have  all  fallen 
upon  us.  Thus  we  should  have  been  forever  shut  out  from 
heaven,  if  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  had  not  provided  a 
remedy  for  our  misfortunes  by  sending  a  Redeemer. 

Example. — And  the  Lord  God  called  Adam,  and  said  to 
him :  "  Where  art  thou  ?"  And  he  said :  "  I  heard  thy 
voice  in  Paradise ;  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I  was  naked, 
and  I  hid  myself."  And  He  said  to  him :  "  And  who  hath 
told  thee  that  thou  wast  naked,  but  that  thou  hast  eaten  of 
the  tree  whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  thou  shouldst  not 
eat  ?"  And  Adam  said  :  "  Tho  woman  whom  thou  gavest 
jne  to  be  my  companion,  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did 
eat."  And  the  Lord  God  said  to  the  woman  :  "  Why  hast 
thou  done  this?"  And  she  answered:  "The  serpent  de- 
ceived  me,  and  I  did  eat."  And  the  Lord  God  said  to  the 
serpent:  "Because  thou  hast  done  this  thing,  thou  art 
cursed  among  all  cattle,  and  beasts  of  the  earth :  upon  thy 
breast  shalt  thou  go,  and  earth  shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days 
of  thy  life.  I  will  put  enmities  between  thee  and  the  woman, 
and  thy  seed  and  her  seed :  she  shall  crush  thy  head,  and 
thou  shalt  lie  in  wait  for  her  heel"  To  the  woman  also  he 
said :  "  I  will  multiply  thy  sorrows,  and  thy  conceptions : 
in  sorrow  shalt  thou  bring  forth  children,  and  thou  shalt  bo 
under  thy  husband's  power,  and  he  shall  have  dominion 
ovei  thee."    And  to  Adam  he  said :  "  Becau.se  thou  haat 


':.V^ 


V 


J  t. 


■    V 


.i^^ 

tM 

.-:' 


.■tf 

'•  •■'■ : 


■ivV.'B'  I 

'*  •'•  1 .1 


;::)Vi 


!■">. 


.-'•■    -$■■■ 

■v 


^ 


,,*■»' 


i 


■;'  ^■■i 


1 

r  . 


,l:-;ii 

j|;'*l 


iii 


E 


m 


44  DUTY    OF  THR    CHRISTIAN 

hearkened  to  the  voice  of  thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the 
tree  whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  thou  shouldst  not  eat, 
cursed  is  the  earth  in  thy  work  :  with  labour  and  toil  shalt 
thou  eat  thereof  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  Thorns  and 
thistles  shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee ;  and  thou  shalt  eat  the 
herbs  of  the  earth.  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat 
bread  till  thou  return  to  the  earth,  out  of  which  thou  was, 
taken :  for  dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return." 

Genesis,  chap.  iii. 


CHAPTER  III. 

I  BELIEVE  IN  JESUS  CHKIST. 


ARTICLE   I. 


THE  PROMISE   OF  A   SAVIOUR. 


Man  was  lost  without  resource,  if  God  had  not  taken 
pity  on  him :  he  had  offended  infinite  majesty,  and  was, 
therefore,  unable  to  repair  his  sin,  since  he  could  not 
offer  any  satisfaction  atr  all  equal  to  the  offence. 

But  God,  through  his  own  gratuitous  mercy,  whose 
workings  are  as  incomprehensible  as  those  of  his  justice, 
even  before  He  pronounced  Adam's  condemnation,  gave 
him  the  hope  of  h  Mediator  while  cursing  the  serpent  of 
whom  the  devil  had  made  use  in  order  to  deceive  our 
first  parents ;  and  He  promised  that  from  the  woman  should 
one  day  spring  him  who  was  to  crush  his  head,  that  is  to 
Bay,him  whowas  to  destroy  the  power  of  the  demon.  In 
this  sense  was  the  promise  regarded  by  our  first  parents 
and  by  their  descendants  after  them. 

li  was  not  till  four  thousand  years  had  passed  away 
tliai  this  promise  was  fulfilled.  God  had  reserved  to  him- 
self that  long  interval  for  its  development,  and  for  re- 
peating it  more  clearly,  and  in  a  more  explicit  manner. 
In  fact,  the  promise  which  God  had  given  to  Adam  was 
subsequently  confirmed  by  that  made  to  Abraham,  who 
was  destined  to  be  the  father  and  the  root   of  a   nation 


^h1  i! 


f 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


4ft 


jateii  of  the 
Idst  not  eat, 
m\  toll  slialt 
riiorns  and 
lalt  eat  the 
alt  tiiou  oat 
thou  was, 
lit  return/* 
),  chap.  iii. 


not  taken 

,  and  was, 

could  not 

'cy,  whose 
his  justice, 
ition,  gave 

serpent  of 
leceive  our 
nan  should 

that  is  to 
emon.  In 
rst  parents 

ssed  a  way 
id  to  hitn- 
nd  for  ro- 
it  manner. 
Adam  was 
ham,  who 
a   nation 


V' 

'>3 


peculiarly  consecrated  to  the  worship  of  God.  ^  Go  forth," 
Baid  the  T  ord  to  him  "  from  thy  own  country,  unto  the  land 
which  I  will  show  thee.  I  will  make  of  thy  descendants  a 
numerous  people,  and  all  nations  shall  be  blessed  in  thy 
seed."  The  promise  was  renewed  in  the  same  words  to 
Isaac  and  to  Jacob.  The  latter,  enlightened  from  above, 
predicted  more  clearly  the  coming  of  the  Liberator  pro- 
mised from  the  beginning  of  the  world;  he  even  pointed 
out  the  period  of  that  great  event,  when,  being  on  his  death- 
bed, and  amiouncing  to  ins  twelve  sons  assembled  around 
him,  what  was  to  happen  to  their  posterity  in  the  lapse  of 
o-ges,  he  addressed  to  Juda,  his  fourth  son,  theie  reniaikablo 
words :  "  Juda,  thee  shall  thy  brethren  praise : — the  sons 
of  thy  father  shall  bow  down  before  thee.  'Hie  sceptre 
tihall  not  be  taken  away  from  Juda,  nor  a  ruler  from  thy 
race,  till  He  come  that  is  to  be  seat,  and  He  shall  be  the 
expectation  of  nations."  Thus  was  the  promise  made  first 
to  Adam  and  afterwards  to  Abraham,  developed  and  made 
raore  manifest. 

The  Saviour  wk^  to  be  born  of  the  family  of  Juda,  and 
die  tinie  of  his  appearance  was  indicated — when  the  sceptre, 
that  is  to  say,  the  pre-eminence,  or  principal  authority, 
should  be  taken  from  the  house  of  Juda. 

Three  hundred  years  after  the  death  of  Jacob,  God, 
wishing  to  deliver  his  people  from  the  yoke  of  the  Egyptian 
oppressor,  raised  up  Moses,  whom  he  filled  with  his  spirit, 
and  endowed  him  with  the  power  of  working  miracles. 

That  holy  man,  having  guided  the  people  even  to  the  bor- 
ders of  the  promised  land,  and  feeling  himself  at  the  point 
©f  death,  assembled  the  Hebrews,  and  renewed  to  them 
the  promise  of  a  Liberator  mightier  than  he;  one  who 
alone  could  introduce  them  into  the  true  land  of  pi'omise, 
•of  which  Oanaan  was  but  the  figure.  Thus  God  still  kept 
his  people  in  expectation  of  the  Saviour  promised  to  their 
(athers. 

This  prophet,  greater  than  Moses — the  Saviour  of  his 
people,  and  the  author  of  a  new  dispensation — the  mediator 
•f  a  new  covenant,  before  whom  Moses  himself  sank  into 
tnsignificance,  and  who  was  to  be  heard  before  all  others — 
tills  was  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  whose  doctrine  was  one 


Vf 


'■i, 


m 


hi; 


...1 


III,.- 


rt 


U' 


46  DtTTl    OF   TRK    CHRISTIAN 

day  to  enlighten  the  universe,  and  of  whom  God  himself 
was  to  say :  "  This  ia  rny  beloved  Son — hear  ye  him." 

Before  Him,  there  had  not  appeared  in  all  Israel,  a  pro 
phot  like  unto  Moses,  with  whom  (Jod  conversed  face  to 
(aco,  and  deputed  to  ^ive  the  law  to  his  people. 

Example. — One  day  when  Daniel  was  pouring  out  his 
Boul  before  the  Lord,  and  prating  with  fervour  for  his  peo])lej 
the  angel  appeared  to  the  Prophet,  and  instructed  him,  by 
God's  command,  as  to  the  time  when  the  Messiah,  whom  hfi 
called  the  Internal  Justice,  and  the  Holy  of  Holies,  was  to 
ajipear  on  the  earth ;  and  also  of  the  period  when  that 
same  Christ,  so  long  promised  and  so  long  looked  for, 
should  be  put  to  death.  He  told  him  that  God  had  vouch' 
safed  to  grant  him  that  signal  favour  because  he  was  "  a 
man  of  desires."  Daniel,  chap.  ix. 

ARTICLE    IL 

DEVELOPMENT  OF    THE    PROMISES. FUTURE    CONVERSION 

OP    THE    GENTILES. 

With  the  single  exception  of  the  Jews,  all  the  nations  oT 
the  earth  were  sunk  in  the  darkness  and  confusion  of  idol- 
atry. God  was  entirely  forgotten,  and  the  devil  adored 
under  divers  forms.  That  impious  worship  had  been  secured 
and  strengthened  during  a  long  course  of  ages ;  all  the  pa9«- 
Bions,  which  it  so  highly  favoured,  had  in  their  turn  served 
to  support  and  maintain  it,  until  it  seemed  as  though  man* 
kind  was  never  to  emerge  from  an  error  so  ancient,  so  uni» 
versal,  and  so  firmly  believed.  But  God  had  resolved  to 
destroy  the  empire  of  th  devil,  as  he  had  promised  Adam, 
and  to  recall  men  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

So  great  a  renovation  wa#  to  be  the  work  of  the  Messiah^ 
»nd  one  of  the  most  sen«ible  characteristics  of  his  coming 
wasj  that  by  enlightening  all  nations  he  was  also  to  con» 
vert  them.  God  had  not  concealed  this  future  blessing  foi 
the  Gentiles,  for  all  the  propcstf^s  had  seen  it  by  a  divine 
light,  and  had  foretold  it  _mai.^  different  ways,  several 
jiges  before  it  was  accomp  ahed,  at  d  even  at  a  time  when 
it  seemed  incrediuiie. 


J 


J 


TOWARDi    OOD. 


47 


a 


oJ  himself 
him." 

lul,  a  pro 
ed  face  to 


iig  out  his 
his  |)0O])lej 
d  him,  by 
,  wliom  ho 
es,  was  to 
\viiu!i  that 
ookod  for, 
md  vouch- 
e  was  "a 
chap.  ix. 


AVERSION 

nations  oT 
111  of  ido)» 
i^il  adored 
)n  secured 
II  the  pa»> 
rn  served 
ugh  man* 
it,  so  uni> 
isolved  to 
ed  Adam, 

Messiahi 
is  coming 
5  to  con» 
essing  fof 
I  a  divine 
s,  several 
ime  when 


They  ali  announced  tluit  the  Messiah  would  dis|)ol  the 
darkness  which,  till  then,  would  cover  the  earth ;  that  he 
would  enlighten  the  (ientiles;  that  ho  would  liberate  thein 
as  woll  as  the  Jews,  and  that  of  both,  ho  would  lonu  one 
people,  adorers  of  the  true  (Jod.  These  prophets  were  the 
heralds  whom  the  great  King  sent  before  his  Son,  to  apjjrise 
men  of  his  coming.  • 

God  pointed  out  all  the  characters  which  were  to  be  re. 
united  in  the  person  of  the  Saviour.  He  foretold,  by  hit 
pro|)hets,  all  the  circumstances  which  accompanied  his  birth, 
his  life,  his  death  and  his  resurrection;  so  that  the  history 
of  tlie  Saviour  was  written  ere  yet  he  had  conie  into  the 
world.  David,  that  holy  and  inspired  king,  is  one  of  those 
who  foretold  him  in  the  clearest  manner.  He  calls  the 
Messiah  his  Lord,  and  recognizes  him  as  the  Son  of  God; 
he  predicts  that  all  nations  shall  own  his  sway,  and  that  his 
dominion'shall  extend  over  all  the  universe.  He  announces 
his  ignominy,  his  cruel  death,  and  the  species  of  torments 
which  he  was  to  undergo :  he  saw  his  hands  and  feot 
pierced,  his  body  suspended  in  the  air,  his  tongue  moistened 
with  vinegar  a.id  gall ;  his  garments  divided,  and  his  robe 
drawn  by  lot;  but  at  the  same  time  he  declares  that  he 
shall  not  be  subject  to  the  corruption  of  the  grave,  from 
which  he  was,  on  the  contrary,  to  come  gloriously  forth. 
Tins  prediction  is  the  more  remarkable  that  it  was  made, 
fully  a  thousand  years    \  !     "  the  period  of  its  fulfilment. 

Isaiah,  too,  spoke  p*<un.y  of  the  Messiah.  He  saw  him 
spring  from  the  root  i.*l'  Jesse,  and  receive  his  birth  from  a 
virgin  mother;  he  c«Ils  him  a  wonderful  child,  the  father  of 
H  future  age,  the  prince  of  peace,  and  finally,  he  styles  him 
Emmanuel.  "  His  reign  shall  be  eternal,"  says  again  the 
same  prophet,  "  all  nations  shall  bow  down  before  iiim  ;  at 
his  word  the  lame  shall  walk,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dumb 
speak,  the  blind  see,  and  the  dead  shall  come  to  life  ngain." 

But  after  having  spoken  of  the  glory  of  the  Messiah,  he 
speaks  also  of  his  humiliations :  he  represents  him  disfigured, 
unknown,  and  despised  as  the  most  abject  of  men;  he 
calls  him  "  the  man  of  sorrows,"  laden  with  infirmities,  for 
that  havinjT  taken  upon  him  our  iniquities,  he  must  expiate 
them  by  his  sufferings.     "  They  shall  spit  upon  his  <ace,* 


}^i 


i;!^)n 


i('^l'i;^^^ 


■t.:| 


» 


Wm. 


It  mm  •■".I'S- 


48 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAW 


i!«- 


8ays  he ;  "  he  shall  be  treated  as  a  malefactor,  led  to  exe» 
cution  with  the  wicked ;  and  he  shall  give  himself  up  to  be 
slaughtered,  peacefully  as  a  lamb."  The  prophet  adds 
that  by  his  death  he  shall  become  the  head  of  a  numerous- 
posteiity,  and  predicts  that  the  Gentiles  shall  hasten  from 
all  parts  of  the  earth  to  follow  in  his  train,  whilst  the 
Jews,  with  few  ©Kceptions,  shall  be  rejected,  because  of 
their  increduhty.  Where  could  we  find  a  more  detailed  ae» 
count  than  this,  save  in  the  Gospel — the  written  history  of 
the  Saviour  ?  And  yet  this  prediction  was  made  more  than 
seven  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  Our  Lord. 

The  other  prophets  foresaw  the  mystery  of  the  Messiah 
with  equal  clearness.  Thus,  one  of  them  predicted  that 
Bethlehem,  the  smallest  city  of  Juda,  should  become  illus- 
trious by  his  birth ;  another  predicts  that  he  shall  be  sold 
by  one  of  his  disciples  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  and  even 
mentions  the  potter's  field,  purchased  by  that  money.  The 
jsame  prophet  represents  him  to  us  as  a  king,  though  a  poor 
one,  he  being  to  enter  Jerusalem  seated  on  an  ass,  even  in 
the  time  of  his  triumph. 

The  prophet  Aggeus  publishes  the  glory  of  the  second 
temple,  because  that  the  Messiah,  the  Desired  of  nations, 
was  to  sanctify  it  by  his  presence. 

The  prophet  Daniel  determines  the  precise  period  of  his 
coming :  that  prophet  being  occupied  with  the  captivity  of 
his  people  and  the  seventy  years  during  which  it  was  to 
continue,  he  was  suddenly  elevated  by  the  spirit  of  God  to 
higher  thoughts,  and  predicted  that  after  seventy  weeks  of 
years,  that  is  to  say,  four  hundred  and  ninety  years,  there 
should  be  an  end  to  a  captivity  much  more  grievous,  from 
which  mankind  was  to  be  freed  by  the  death  of  Christ : 
deliverance  which  was  to  consist  of  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  the  eternal  reign  of  justice.  He  announced  that  in  the 
last  week  Christ  would  be  put  to  death ;  that  a  new  alii, 
ance  was  to  be  confirmed,  and  the  ancient  sacrifices 
abolished.  "  After  the  death  of  Christ,"  adds  the  prophel:, 
"  there  shall  be  nought  but  horror  and  confusion :  the  holy 
city  and  the  sanctuary  shall  be  destroyed ;  the  people  who 
despisHd  him  shall  be  no  longer  his  own ;  abomination  shall 


I'l  I 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


40 


ed  to  exe»* 

f  up  to  be 
Dhet  adds 
numerous^ 
LSten  from 
whilst  the 
3cause  of 
jtailed  au» 
iiistory  of 
nore  than 

• 

3  Messiah 
icted  that 
ome  illus- 
1  be  sold 
and  even 
ey.  The 
fh  a  poor 
s,  even  in 

e  second 
'  nations, 

od  of  his 
jtivity  of 
was  to 
God  to 
i^v'eeks  of 
irs,  there 
lus,  from 
>hrist : 
1  of  sins, 

at  in  the 
new  alii- 
jacrifices 

prophet, 
the  holy 

pie  wh/) 
ion  shall 


be  seen  in  the  temple,  and  a  desolation  which  shall  con* 
tinue  even  to  the  end. 

Finally,  Malachy,  the  last  of  the  prophets,  predicted  that 
"  insUad  of  the  ancient  sacrifices,  a  pure  offering  shall  be 
presented  to  the  Lord,  not  alone  in  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  hut 
from  the  rising  to  the  setting  of  the  sun ;  not  only  amongst 
the  Jews,  hut  also  the  Gentiles,  amongst  whom  the  nam 
of  the  Lord  shall  he  great."  These  prophecies  are  all  con* 
tained  in  the  sacred  books,  whose  authenticity  is  attested 
by  the  irrefragable  testimony  of  a  whole  people.  These  are 
the  Jews,  the  declared  enemies  of  Christianity,  who  cannot 
help  respecting  them,  although  they  find  therein  their  own 
condemnation ;  it  is  from  them  that  we  have  received  them, 
and  it  would  seem  as  though  God  had  preserved  that  nation 
amid  the  ruin  of  so  many  others  that  it  may  render  its  un- 
willing testimony  to  the  authenticity  of  the  Sacred  Scripture, 
so  as  to  place  it  above  all  suspicion  of  forgery  or  even  of 
alteration. 

In  order  to  convince  the  most  incredulous,  of  the  divinity 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  establish  the  fact  that  this  Divine 
Saviour  is  really  the  Messiah  foretold  by  the  prophets, 
we  have  but  to  compare  the  marks  which  were  to  distin- 
guish the  Desired  of  nations,  with  the  events  which  took 
place  at  the  coming  of  Christ.  We  have  only  to  bring 
together  the'  prophecies  and  their  fulfilment,  keeping  oive 
Land  on  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  other  on  the  New :  the 
resemblance  will  be  found  so  close  that  there  is  no  possi- 
bility of  being  mistaken.  In  the  first  place  there  can  be  no 
■  doubt  that  at  the  period  of  the  birth  of  Christ,  the  expecta- 
tion of  the  Messiah  was  generally  diffused,  not  only  through 
Judea,  but  over  all  the  East.  This  fact  is  attested  even  by 
the  Pagan  writers.  "  It  was,"  says  Suetonius,  "  an  ancieii 
and  constant  opinion  in  the  East  that  about  that  timt 
Judea  was  to  send  forth  conquerors  who  should  subjugat 
tlie  entire  world."  Tacitus  relates  the  same  thing.  "  Many 
were  persuaded,"  says  that  historian,  "  that  in  those  days 
Judea  was  to  give  rulers  to  the  world."  This  general 
expectation  was  based  on  the  famous  prophecy  of  JacoU 
who  had  foretold  that  the  Messiah  would  come  just  when 
flie  Jews  should  cease  to  be  governed  by  the  princes  of  the 


»'■■■■- 


I   :  - 


:>'"J 


m 


i'  •  ■  •»:  f 


50 


DUTY    OF   THI    CHRtSTTAW 


'■IIP 


rNM 


him 


house  of  Juda ;  and  also  on  that  of  Daniel,  who  had  fixed 
the  period  of  the  birt^  of  Christ  at  the  end  of  four  hundred 
and  ninety  years.  These  terms  of  the  prophecies  were 
taken  in  their  literal  sense  by  the  carnal  Jews  and  by  the 
Pagans,  who  confounded  the  spiritual  dominion  of  the  Mes- 
siah with  the  sway  of  a  conquering  prince.  The  prophecy, 
however,  is  none  the  less  real,  and  the  fact  is  that  the 
Apostles,  going  forth  from  Judea,  did  subdue  the  nations, 
and  bring  them  under  the  law  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Gospel  points  out  to  us  the  literal  accompliphmenl 
of  all  the  prophecies  which  were  to  characterize  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah  ;  he  was  born  in  Bethlehem  ;  he  gave  ;  new 
code  of  laws;  he  wrought  the  most  astonishing  miracles;  he 
sanctified  the  temple  by  his  presence ;  he  died  amid  the  tor 
ments  and  ignominy  of  the  crosrS,  and  arose  from  the  dead 
on  the  third  day,  &c. 

Example. — The  knowledge  of  the  true  God  was  still 
preserved  in  the  kingdom  of  Ethiopia ;  Candace,  who  was 
queen  of  that  country  at  the  time  of  the  Apostles,  sent  one 
of  her  oflftcers  with  gifts  to  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  and  to 
adore  the  Lord  in  his  holy  house.  This  prudent  minister 
was  on  his  way  back,  after  having  done  his  errand,  when 
as  he  journeyed  along,  reading  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  it 
pleased  the  Lord  to  order  Phillip,  the  deacon  to  hasten  after 
him.  The  officer  was  just  reading  that  saying  of  the  pro- 
phet: **//e  shall  be  led  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter.** 
"  Thinkest  thou,"  said  tbe  man  of  God,  "  that  thou  under- 
standest  what  thou  readest  ? "  "  How  can  I,"  said  the  of 
ficer,  "  unless  some  one  show  me  ? "  and  having  inviteu 
Phillip  to  mount  beside  him,  he  begged  of  him  to  tell  him 
whether  the  prophet  in  that  passage,  spoke  of  himself  or  of 
another.  Phillip,  thereupon,  took  occasion  to  announce  to 
him  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  necessity  of  Baptism.  The  officer 
reflpcted  on  what  he  had  heard,  and  the  chariot  having 
reached  a  spot  where  there  was  water,  he  demanded  of  Phil- 
lip, whether  he  might  not  even  then  be  baptized  Phillip  an- 
swered that  he  certainly  might,  provided  that  he  believed 
with  all  his  heart,  whereupon  the  officer  professed  his  faith 
in  these  words :  "  /  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


51 


10  had  fixed 
our  hundred 
liecies  were 
and  by  the 
ol*  the  Mos- 
le  prophecy, 
is  that  the 
the  natiotiii 

)mpliphmenl 
the  coming 
gave  i  new 
iiiracles;  he 
mid  the  tor 
>m  the  dead 


God"  They  then  descended  from  the  chariot,  and  Phillip 
baptized  him.  The  ceremony  once  over,  Phillip  quickly 
disappeared,  and  the  officer  continued  his  journey,  admiring 
what  had  happened,  and  giving  praise  to  God  for  the  great 
favour  he  had  just  received.  It  is  said,  and  with  strong 
probability,  that  this  officer  preached  Jesus  Christ  in  hif 
own  nation,  of  which  he  thus  became  the  Apostle. 

Acts  of  the  Apostlesy  chap.  viii. 

/ 


CHAPTEa   IV. 

WAB  CONCEIVED  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST,  AND  BORN  OF  THB 

VIRGIN   MARY. 


"'•.(  1 


§ 


'■-  'H 


m 

m 


)d  was  still 
e,  who  was 
es,  sent  one 
lem,  and  to 
3nt  minister 

rand,  when 
)f  Isaiah,  it 
hasten  after 
of  the  pro- 

sJaughter/* 
thou  under- 
;aid  the  of 
t'ing  inviteu 
to  tell  him 
imself  or  of 
mnounce  to 

The  officer 
riot  having 
ded  of  Phil- 

Phillip  an- 
il e  believed 
Bed  his  faith 

the  Son  of 


ARTICLE  I. 

M     4;  ERY    OF    THE    INCARNATION. 

The  only  Son  of  God,  the  Word,  who  existed  from  all 
eternity  in  the  bosom  of  his  Father,  humbled  himself  so  far 
as  to  take  a  body  and  soul  like  unto  ours.  It  is  not  the 
Father  who  was  made  man,  nor  neither  is  it  the  Holy  Ghost, 
but  it  is  the  Son,  the  second  person  of  the  Most  Holy 
Trinity. 

The  manner  in  which  this  mystery  was  accomplished  can 
neither  be  conceived  by  the  mind  of  man,  nor  expressed  in 
words ;  but  this  is  what  the  Gospel  teaches  us  concerning 
ft.  When  the  time  appointed  by  divine  wisdom  had  arrived, 
an  angel  appeared  before  the  Blessed  Virgin ;  he  saluted 
her  as  full  of  grace ;  announced  to  her  that  she  should  be- 
come a  mother  without  ceasing  to  be  a  virgin,  and  that  He 
who  was  to  be  born  of  her  should  be  the  Son  of  the  Most 
High,  through  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghogt.  The 
Blessed  Virgin  believed  the  words  of  the  celestial  ambaa* 
sador,  and  at  once  gave  her  consent.  At  that  moment,  the 
mystery  of  the  Incarnation  was  accomplished  ;  the  Holy 
Ghost  formed  within  her  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ :  thereto 
he  united  a  sou),  and  at  the  same  time  was  effected  thitl 
indissoluble  union  of  the  divine  with  the  human  nature  iu 


■a 
m 

% 

m 
m 


m 


i.'i'!/ 


V,  '•»■■ 


f/ 


ss 


LTTY   OP   THE    CHRISTIAIf 


r  ''ill! 


the  person  of  the  Son  of  God.  Thus  the  only  Son  of  Ctod 
became  man,  without  ceasing  to  be  God,  and  thereby  ope- 
rated the  Mystery  of  the  Incarnation :  whence  it  follows 
that  the  Bbssed  Virgin  is  really  the  Mother  of  God,  having 
conceived  and  brought  forth  a  Man-God.  Mary,  although 
she  became  a  mother,  still  remained  a  virgin,  Jesus  Christ, 
her  son,  having  een  cor.ceived  by  the  operation  of  tlte 
Holy  Ghost.  Tnus,  Jesus  Christ,  as  man,  has  no  ;ather, 
and  God  arranged  it  so,  that  St.  Joseph  should  be  the  hus- 
band of  Mary  in  order  to  hide  this  mystery  under  the  veil 
of  a  chaste  marriage;  but  as  God,  Jesus  Christ  has  a 
Father,  who  begot  him  from  all  eternity,  and  whose  equal 
he  is.  There  is  in  Jesus  Christ  only  one  person,  but  there 
are  in  him  two  distinct  natures:  the  divine  nature,  by  which 
he  is  God  like  unto  his  Father,  and  the  human  nature,  by 
which  he  is  ma  n  like  unto  ourselves,  possessing  all  the  qual- 
ities proper  to  our  nature. 

Notwithstanding  that  this  mystery  is  infinitely  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  human  mind,  yet  we  ought  to  believe  it  firmly, 
because  God,  who  is  the  sovereign  truth,  has  revealed  it  to 
as ;  moreover  it  is  nowise  contrary  to  reason,  and  we  have 
in  ourselves  an  image  of  it  which,  although  imperfect,  may 
assist  our  faith.  In  effect,  our  soul,  which  is  spiritual  and 
incorruptible  in  its  nature,  is  united  to  a  material  and  cor- 
ruptible body,  the  union  of  these  two  substances,  different 
as  they  are,  forming  but  one  single  man,  who  is  thus  at  the 
same  time  spirit  and  body,  incorruptible  and  corruptible,  in* 
telligent  and  material.  In  like  manner  it  is  that  the  divinity 
of  the  Word,  and  the  nature  of  man,  united  without  being 
confounded,  form  but  one  single  Jesus  Christ,  true  God  and 
true  man,  begotten  of  the  Father  in  eternity,  and  in  time 
born  of  a  virgin ;  as  God,  (Omnipotent,  and  as  man  surround- 
ed with  infirmity ;  for,  with  the  exception  of  sin  and  its  in- 
sejiarable  consequences,  ignorance  and  concupiscence,  Our 
Lord  became  subject  to  all  our  miseries.  He  was  hungry 
and  thirsty ;  he  was  subject  to  sleep  and  all  the  other  in- 
firmities of  our  nature ;  with  this  difference  only,  that  ho 
submitted  to  them  by  his  own  free  will  and  choice,  whilst 
we  endure  them  against  our  will.  But  we  must  not  imagine 
that  the  divine  nature  was  at  all  changed  by  the  Incarn* 


.1 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


ftS 


4 


tion :  God,  without  ceasing  to  be  all  that  He  is  of  himself, 
vouchsafed  to  unite  himself  with  human  nature,  but  he  lost 
nothing  by  that  union ;  his  humiliations  and  his  sufTeiings 
fall  only  on  humanity ;  it  was  as  man  that  Jesus  Christ  suf- 
fered, and  it  was  as  God  that  he  gave  an  iiuliiite  value  to  his 
BufTeniigs ;  it  was  as  man  that  he  became  a  little  child,  so 
as  to  leave  a  model  for  every  age ;  and  it  was  as  the  God- 
man  that  he  was  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

ExAMPLni. — A  certain  "heretic,  of  the  sect  of  Eutyches, 
being  p-esent  in  a  company  where  there  was  a  child  who 
had  be(  n  carefully  instructed,  he  would  fain  persuade  the 
child  tha^  there  was  but  one  nature  in  Jesus  Christ.  Iti 
order  to  convince  him,  he  took  two  pieces  of  iron,  which 
he  reddened  in  the  fire,  and  then  joined  them  together  so  as 
to  make  but  one  piece.  "  It  is  thus"  said  he  "  that  the  divine 
and  human  natures,  united  together  in  Jesus  Christ,  make 
in  his  person  but  one  single  nature."  "  But,"  replied  tho 
boy,  "  suppose  you  put  a  little  ingot  of  gold  in  the  place  of 
one  of  those  pieces  of  iron, — redden  the  two,  and  put  them 
together,  so  as  to  make  but  one  piece.  I  ask  you,  then, 
will  the  pieco  be  all  gold,  or  all  iron  ?  will  not  each  piece 
remain  what  it  was  before, — will  not  one  be  still  an  ingot 
of  gold  and  the  other  a  bit  of  iron,  though  they  may  be 
fastened  together  ?  Yes  they  will,  and  you  cannot  deny  it. 
Here  you  would  then  have  two  pieces,  the  one  of  gold,  and 
the  other  of  iron,  which,  although  entirely  distinct  in  their 
nature,  will  yet  make  but  one  piece.  Thus  it  is,"  concluded 
the  child  "  that  the  divine  and  human  natures,  though  dis- 
tinct from  each  other,  make  nevertheless  but  one  single  per- 
son in  Jesus  Christ"       Letters  Edifianty  Mission  du  Levant, 


♦>).i 


»','!.•(.', 


•1./  '  i 


v''V 


r,  ■•■' 


ARTICLE    II. 

THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  INCARNATION  CONTINUED. 

The  Son  of  God  became  man  to  redeem  us  from  the 
bondage  of  sin  and  from  the  torments  of  hell,  and  to  merit 
for  us  eternal  life,  to  which  we  had  lost  all  claim,  as  well 
by  our  own  prevarications  as  by  original  sin.     We  had  of 


4: 


.i'.ii    I    'fi'i 

u  W 

mm 

■m 
m 


•I 


itt"  V 


mk 


M 


S 


i 


It  ■   '  ^m^- 


■*#■  S'l 


iV'iifi; 


i'i 


i:  I 


:-;?'' 


64 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


fended  a  God  of  infinite  majesty,  and  his  justice  could  on.j 
be  satisfied  by  a  reparation  commensurate  to  the  ofTence. 
Man  could  not  of  himself  ofl!*er  to  God  a  sufficient  satisfac- 
tion, nor  could  he  then  merit  forgiveness.  It  was  only  the 
Son  of  God  made  man,  true  God  and  true  man,  who  was 
capable  of  offering  that  satisfaction  by  suff*ering  as  man  and 
as  God  imparting  to  his  sufferings  an  infinite  value.  By 
this  wonderful  m;.  iry  of  divine  wisdom  sin  is  punished 
but  the  sinner  is  Si. .  cu :  so  in  Jesus  Christ,  justice  and  mercy 
are  reconciled ;  the  injury  done  to  God  is  abundantly  re- 
paired, and  God  is  honoured  as  he  ought  to  be. 

Jesus  Christ  has  become  our  Mediator;  a  perfect  Medi- 
ator he  is,  too,  allied  to  God  by  his  divinity,  and  to  us  by 
his  humanity ;  capable  of  suffering  like  us,  because  he  has  a 
nature  like  unto  ours,  and  on  the  other  hand  able  to  recon- 
cile us  with  God  by  his  sufferings,  he  being  himself  God ; 
a  mediator  who,  by  his  perfect  holiness,  is  infinitely  j)leasing 
to  Him  whom  He  would  propitiate  in  our  favour.  This 
truth  may  be  better  understood  by  comparison ;  suppose, 
then,  that  a  king  has  been  insulted,  nay,  outraged  by  one 
of  the  meanest  of  his  subjects,  neither  the  criminal,  nor  any 
other  subject  of  the  king  can  offer  to  the  majesty  of  the 
sovereign  any  satisfaction  proportionate  to  the  offence ;  all 
that  the  criminal  could  do  would  be  still  immeasurably  be- 
neath the  magnitude  of  his  crime.  But  if  the  son  of  the 
king,  the  presumptive  heir  of  his  crown,  and  the  sharer  of 
his  throne,  being  touched  with  compassion  for  that  man's 
hopeless  condition,  should  descend  from  his  throne,  lay 
aside  his  regal  adornments,  and  covering  his  head  with 
ushes  and  his  body  with  sack-clotli,  prostrate  himself  before 
his  father,  and  offer  to  submit  himself  to  the  punishment  due 
to  the  malefactor  in  order  to  obtain  pardon  for  him,  it  may 
well  be  conceived  th  it  such  profound  humiliation  being  a 
satisfaction  or  reparation  fully  proportionate  to  the  great- 
ness of  the  offended  person,  amply  covers  the  offence,  and 
that  the  king,  without  departing  from  the  way  of  strict 
justice,  may  extend  his  forgiveness  to  the  offender.  Well ! 
this  is  precisely  what  God  has  done  for  us  through  the  In- 
carnation of  his  Son.  How  admirable  he  is  in  all  his  works, 
and  above  all  in  this  greatest  testimony  of  his  love  ! — what 


'.■»! 


II'.J.: 


i 


uld  on.j 

offence, 
satisfac* 
only  the 
vho  was 
man  and 
lie.  By 
punished 
id  mercy 
,ntly  re- 
st Medi- 
0  us  by 
he  has  a 
o  recon- 
slf  God; 
pleasing 
r.  This 
suppose, 
by  one 
nor  any 
Y  of  the 
nee;  all 
ably  be- 

of  the 
larer  of 
it  man's 
3ne,  lay 
ad  with 
f  before 
lent  due 

it  may 
being  a 
e  great- 
ice,  and 
)f  strict 

Well! 

the  In- 

works, 
! — what 


TOWTABDS  GOD. 


55 


asi  incomprehensible  favour  it  was  to  give  his  only  Son  for 
our  redem])tion !  And  what  gratitude  do  wo  not  owe  to 
that  generous  Saviour  who  divested  h'mself  of  his  glory  to 
assume  our  fallen  nature,  to  subject  himself  to  all  our  in- 
firmities,— to  appear,  and  to  be  in  reality  like  unto  us  ? 

Nestoiius,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  far  from  allaying 
the  grievous  scandal  which  had  been  raised  by  a  priest 
named  Atlianasius,  who  declared  against  calling  Mary,  the 
Mother  of  God,  publicly  approved  of  this  heretical  proposi- 
tion, and  maintained  that  there  are  in  Jesus  Christ  two  per- 
sons, tw  well  as  two  natures,  so  that  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
ought  not  to  be  styled  the  Mother  of  God,  but  only  mother 
of  Jesus  Christ.  These  errors  were  combatted  and  refuted 
by  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria.  Pope  Celestine  condemned  them 
in  a  council  held  at  Rome  in  430,  and  in  the  following  year 
Nestorius  and  his  heretical  doctrine  were  formally  con- 
demned in  the  general  council  of  Ephesus.  This  famous 
heresiarch,  whose  impiety  filled  the  minds  of  the  people  with 
horror  and  affjight,  was  degraded  and  deposed  from  his 
patiiarchate.  The  Fathers  oi*  the  Council  made  known  to 
im  the  sentence  of  his  excommunication,  which  was  couch- 
ed in  these  words :  "  The  Holy  Council,  assembled  by  the 
grace  of  God  in  the  city  of  Ephesus,  to  Nestorius,  the  mo- 
dern Judas.  Know  that  because  of  the  blasphemous  doc- 
trine which  thou  hast  preached,  and  for  thine  obstinacy  in 
maintaining  the  same,  thou  hast  been  deposed  from  every 
grade  of  ecclesiastical  dignity,  by  the  Holy  Council,  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  and  rules  of  the  Church."  Nestorius 
was  banished  to  Africa  by  the  Emperor  Theodosms  the 
younger.  On  the  tongue  of  that  arch-heretic  there  broke 
out  a  frightful  ulcer  wherein  worms  soon  gathered,  and  eat 
away  the  wicked  member  to  its  very  root.  Having  wan- 
dered for  a  loijg  time  from  place  to  place,  the  wretched  man 
died  in  the  greatest  misery,  and  impenitent,  moreover,  ai 
might  be  expected.  MSrault 

ARTICLE    III. 

BIRTH    OF   JESUS    CHRIST. 

Augustus  C^sar  having  commanded  a  census  to  b 


■-}^^'- 


.M,  ',1  ■:■. 

■■'■'.  ■ 


';i,.i- 

'■^■^''■M 


IK'  :■■, '  ■ 


',■  '■  ■'  .■!• 


'rj 


r 
r] 


(,fj  n 


,J1 


''  .i'  't' 
fir  V' ' 


>m 


l.f 


\- 


''jjj'i.ilra:'*; 'i 
•  ' ;  .  •  *  .  ■ 

f  :■[■ 


f 


•it 


li'l'-'  ^'id^^ 


1^ 


:■  + 


'f!  'E 


'■•am 


M  DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAN 

taken  of  all  the  population  of  the  empire,  Joseph  and  Mary 
went  from  Nazareth  to  Bethlehem,  whence  their  fjiniily  had 
its  origin.  There  it  was  that,  in  the  year  of  the  world 
4004,  the  Son  of  God  came  into  the  world,  at  the  dead 
hour  of  night  and  in  a  poor  stable,  the  poverty  of  Joseph 
being  too  great  to  pay  for  admission  to  an  mn.  His  birth 
Was  speedily  announced  by  the  angels  to  some  shepherds 
who  were  watching  their  flocks  by  night.  "  Glory  to  God  ** 
sang  the  heavenly  messengers,  making  known  the  joyful 
tidings,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest  and  on  earth,  peace 
to  men  of  good  will!" 

Eiffht  jlays  after  his  birth  he  was  circumcised,  and  on  that 
same  day  the  blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph,  conformably  to 
the  command  which  they  had  receiveu  from  God  by  an 
angel,  gave  to  him  the  name  of  Jesus,  which  signifies  Sa- 
viour, because  he  tfame  to  save  all  men,  and  to  deliver  thena 
from  sin  and  hell. 

To  the  name  of  Jesus  has  been  added  that  of  Christ, 
which  means  sacred  or  anointed,  not  that  he  was  visibly 
consecrated  by  hands,  but  by  reason  of  his  hypostatical 
union  with  the  Father. 

We  also  call  Jesus  Christ  Our  Lord,  because  that  he  has 
a  particular  claim  on  all  christians,  whom  he  has  redeemed 
and  purchased  at  the  price  of  his  blood 

A  few  days  after  Jesus  was  circumcised,  he  was  recog- 
nised as  God  and  as  king  by  three  Magi,  who  guided  by  a 
star,  came  from  the  East  to  adore  him.  Having  reached 
Jerusalem,  they  lost  sight  of  the  star,  and  went  about  ii>. 
quiring  for  the  new-born  king  of  the  Jews.  The  doctors 
of  the  law,  being  interrogated  by  Herod,  king  of  Galilee, 
made  answer  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  born  in  Bethlehem, 
Herod,  being  alarmed  by  this  announcement,  and  already 
meditating  the  death  of  the  divine  infant,  engaged  the  Mag 
to  return  and  acquaint  him  with  the  place  where  the  chil 
was  to  be  found,  falsely  saying  that  he,  too,  would  wish  to 
adore  him.  The  Magi,  resuming  their  journej',  found  the 
child,  to  whom  they  presented  gifts  of  gold,  frankincense, 
and  myrrh ;  but  being  warned  by  an  angel  that  Herod  only 
sought  to  kill  the  infant,  they  returned  by  another  way  to 
their  own  country. 


i 


nd  Mary 
mily  had 
le  world 
the  dead 
f  Joseph 
His  birth 
hepherds 
to  God" 
be  joyful 
•th,  peace 

d  on  that 
niably  lo 
»d  by  an 
lifies  Sa- 
lver them 

f  Christ, 
IS  visibly 
)ostatical 

it  he  has 
edeemed 

s  recog- 
ed  by  a 

reached 
ibout  iiy. 

doctors 

Galilee, 
sthlehera. 

already 
he  Mag 
the  chil 

wish  to 
)iind  the 
dncense, 
rod  only 

way  to 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


61 


V'V. 


Forty  days  after  tho  birth  of  Jesus,  the  Blessed  Viigin 
and  St.  Joseph  took  him  to  the  temple,  to  present  him  icj 
God,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  he  being  the 
first-born.  The  Blessed  Virgin  at  the  same  time  fulfilled 
the  law  of  purification,  and  ofCeved  what  the  law  ordained ' 
that  is  to  say,  a  lamb  for  her  son,  and  for  herself,  a  [)uir  of 
loves,  being  the  gifts  usually  made  by  the  poor — what  ex- 
mples  of  humility  and  of  obedience  to  the  law ! 

Herod,  seeing  that  the  Magi  returned  no  more,  conceived 
the  design  of  putting  to  death  all  children  under  two  years 
of  age,  whom  he  could  find  in  Betiilehem  or  its  vicinity, 
hoping  tlius  to  make  sure  of  destroying  the  Saviour.  But 
St.  Joseph,  apprized  of  this  design  by  an  angel,  fled  into 
Egypt  with  Jesus  and  Mary,  where  he  remained  till  after 
the  death  of  that  barbarous  prince. 

He  then  returned  to  Judea,  and  again  took  up  his  abode 
in  Nazareth  of  Galilee ;  hence  Jesus  was  called  through 
contempt,  the  Nazarean, 

The  Gof]'Ll  tells  us  that  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  Jesus 
was  taken  to  Jerusalem  to  celebrate  the  festival  of  the  Pasch, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  when  he  remained  be- 
hind in  the  temple,  unperceived  by  his  parents.  When  they 
found  that  he  was  not  with  them,  they  sought  him  in  vain 
for  a  whole  day,  whereupon  they  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
where  they  found  him  in  the  temple,  seated  amidst  the  doc- 
tors, listening  to  them  and  proposing  to  them  questions  in  a 
manner  so  astonishing  that  all  who  heard  liim  were  sur- 
prised by  his  wisdom  and  his  answers. 

At  the  age  of  thirty  years,  Jesus  Christ  was  baptized  by 
St.  John  the  Baptist  in  the  river  Jordan ;  at  which  time  tho 
Holy  Ghost  descended  upon  him  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  and 
the  eternal  Father  declared  from  the  highest  heavens  thai 
Jesus  Christ  was  indeed  his  beloved  Son. 

Soon  after  this,  Jesus  Christ  was  conducted  by  tho  Holy 
Ghost  into  the  desert,  where  he  fasted  for  forty  days.  It  if 
in  honour  and  in  commemoration  of  this  fast  of  Jesus  Christ 
that  the  Church  has  instituted  the  fast  of  Lent. 

Our  Lord  at  that  time  permitted  himself  to  be  tempted  by 
the  devil,  in  order  to  teach  us  not  to  fear  temptation,  and 


v^   > 


m 


■■,1:1;; 


i^u.,, 


l-i^' 


iiji ,  •> 


•14: 


i^:0^ 


m 


p. 


DUTY   OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 

also  the  manner  in  which  we  must  resist  it,  so  as  to  render 
it  even  uioritorious  for  our  souls. 

Example. — A  certain  mother  whose  pietj  was  ns  greai 
as  her  faith  was  enlightened,  rr'comniended  to  her  children 
to  pass  no  day  without  asking  the  child  Jesus  for  his  bless 
Ing.  "When"  said  she,  "you  are  at  3'our  mor.iing  an 
evening  prayers,  picture  to  yourselves  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
carrying  in  her  arms  the  Infant  Jesus.  Bow  down  respect- 
fully before  her,  and  say  with  all  possible  fervour;  "O  Mary! 
deign  to  extend  over  me  the  hand  of  thy  divine  Son,  so  that 
being  blessed  by  him,  I  may  avoid  the  evil  which  is  dis- 
pleasing to  him,  and  practise  the  good  which  is  agreeable 
to  him ;  that  I  may  imitate  him  in  his  ol)edience  and  in  all 
his  other  virtues,  so  that  I  may  become  worthy  of  possess- 
ing him  with  thee  in  heaven  ! " 


ARTICLE   IV. 

THE    DOCTRINE    OF   JESUS    CHRIST. 

Jesus  Christ  on  quitting  the  desert  began  immediately  to 
promulgate  that  New  Law  which  he  came  to  teach  mankind 
Of  the  n\imerous  disciples  who  followed  him,  he  chose  twelve, 
whom  he  called  Apostles,  that  is  to  say,  ambassadors,  or  mes- 
sengers, because  he  designed  to  employ  them  in  the  convert 
sion  of  all  nations.  These  twelve  apostles  were  Peter,  and 
Andrew  his  brother,  James  and  John,  Phillip,  Bartholomew, 
Matthew,  Thomas,  James  the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  his  bro- 
ther Jude,  Simon  the  Chanaanite,  and  Judas  Iscariot. 

The  Law  which  Jesus  Christ  brought  into  the  world  is 
truly  admirable,  forming  a  body  of  doctrine  so  perfect  tha 
it  can  ucitlier  be  added  to  nor  diminished  in  even  the  slightes 
degrcL.  It  teaches  man  his  duty  to  God,  to  his  iieighl/our  and 
'to  himself:  it  is  perfectly  adapted  to  man,  as  considered  in 
the  body,  and  to  each  individual  in  particular,  in  every  possi- 
ble variety  of  circumstance  and  situation  :  and  rt  is  equally 
suited  to  all  countries  and  to  all  times.  After  the  closest  ex- 
amination of  this  Divine  Law,  we  are  obliged  to  confess 
that  Pie  who  was  its  author  must  have  had  the  most  perfect 


nMii6 


TOWARDS    OOr. 


M> 


s  to  rend«r 


as  ns  great 
ler  children 
>r  his  Lless 
or:iing  an 
ised  Virgin, 
ivn  respect- 

"OMary! 
^on,  so  that 
lich  is  dis- 
5  agreeable 

and  in  all 
of  possesa- 


lediately  to 
h  mankind, 
ose  twelve, 
>rs,  or  me*, 
the  convert 

Peter,  and 
rtholomew, 
nd  his  bro- 
riot. 

e  world  is 
)erfect  tha 
be  slightes 
i;hbour  and 
nsidered  in 
very  possi- 

is  equally 
closest  ex- 
to  confess 
08t  perfect 


t 


Knowledge  of  man's  nature,  of  his  mind,  his  heart,  his  pas- 
sions, his  failings,  in  short  of  all  his  evils  and  the  remedies 
which  they  require,  together  with  his  final  destination,  and  the 
means  which  he  should  take  in  order  to  attain  it.    It  is  evident 
tliat  if  men  conforme  !  their  lives  to  this  moral  code,  they 
would  be  as  good  and  as  happy  as  it  is  possible  to  bo  in  th)» 
world :    and,  in  fact,  let   us   picture  to    ourselves   a  truh[ 
christian  people — that  is  to  say,  a  society  of  men  who  love 
God  as  their  common  Father,  who  regard  each  other  as  bre- 
tliren  indeed,  and  who  have  amongst  them  but  one  heart  anA 
one  soul ;  having  all  the  same  object  in  view,  and  journey- 
ing all  towards  the  same  end,  which  is  heaven,  no  one  ever 
making  right  subservient  to  passion,  or  sacrificing  the  public 
good  to  his  own  private  interest,  but,  on  the  contrary,  giving 
up  his  own  happiness  to  promote  that  of  others,  syrnpathiz- 
ing  in  their  troubles  and  misfortunes,  and  alleviating  them  a& 
far  as  in  their  power  lies :  surely  such  a  society  would  be  a 
rare  spectacle  for  the  world ! — And  such  would  be  a  state 
if  composed  of  true  Christians ;  peace,  which  is  the  sweetesi 
fruit  of  charity,  would  preside  over  that  people,  and  never 
would  the  cry  of  discord  be  heard,  because  there  would  be 
neither  wrong,  nor  violence,  nor  jealousy,  nor  contention 
There   would  be  seen  none  truly  unhappy,  because  nont 
would  be  wicked.     Wealth  would  then  be  wealth  indeed,  and 
evils  wonld  be  no  longer  such,  because  charity  would  render 
all  riches  common  property,  and  take  the  load  of  misfortune 
from  one,  to  make  it  also  common  to  all  by  Christian  sym- 
pathy and  compassion.    What  tranquillity  would  there  abound, 
and  what  resignation  under  loss  or  afiJliction  ! — Old  age,  in- 
fiimity  and  sickness  would  be  balanced  by  the  assurance  of 
a  happier  futurity,  and  even  death  would  only  be  regarded  as 
the  transit  from  temporal  happiness,  to  that  which  is  eternal. 

Yes,  such  would  be  the  fruits  of  the  Laws  of  Jesus  Christ, 
if  redu-Lcd  to  practice.  "  Tlie  universe  would  bo  hut  a  soci- 
ety  of  friends,  and  the  entire  world  would  become  a  terres- 
trial paradise." 

The  mysteries  of  religion  are,,  doubtless,  beyond  the  reach 
of  our  understanding ;  but  the  motives  on  which  we  are 
wade  to  believe  them  are  more  than  sufficient  to  satisfy  any 
i^itional  mind. 


■im^' 


"V" 


V.J  (  * 


■;H 


'lid 

1  •.■;;>.:! 

■•,..s*' 

: '.". . 

,,'  '>''v», -I 

■>>  ;j 
';■■'! 


;,>*.:« 


;^tr- 


•i  ••  ■'  il. 


to 


DUTY    IF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


.111     •• 


T     ju 


:  ,•*! 


Hi  -"^ 


M'lint  h'jblimity,  whai  sanctity  there  is  in  tHIit  i)rocept; 
•*  Fear  nut"  says  the  ReHeenior,  "  those  who  can  kill  only  th«i 
body  ;  but  ratlier  fear  Hini  who  can  cast  both  body  and  soul 
Into  heil  r ' 

*'  Love  iJod  with  ail  thy  heart,  and  remember  that  thou 
cajiat  not  serve  two  masters.  Be  not  ashamed  of  mo  before 
men,  and  I  will  recoj^mse  thee  before  my  Father  in  heaven. 
Beware  of  doing  thine  actions  to  be  seen  by  men.  If  thin* 
eye,  thy  hand,  or  thy  fbdt  ho  a  cause  of  scandal  to  thee,  pluck 
them  out — cut  them  off — and  cast  them  far  from  thee. 
Looks,  desires,  or  even  idle  words  are  prohibited.  Be  not 
solicitous  as  to  your  food  or  clothing;  "consider  the  birds 
of  the  air,  thy  heavenly  Father  feeds  them,"  says  he  again, 
"  and  behold  how  he  clothes  the  lily  of  the  fields. — Do  good 
to  all — love  even  thine  enemies ! — forgive,  that  thou  .iiayest 
be  forgiven — judge  not,  and  thou  shalt  not  be  judged. — A 
cup  o*"  cold  water  given  in  my  name  shall  not  be  without  its 
reward. — If  thou  hast  trouble,  rejoice  therein  ;  if  thou  suffer- 
est  for  righteousness'  sake,  rejoice  and  be  glad,  for  a  great 
reward  is  reserved  for  thee  in  Fieaven." 

Even  Jean  Jacques  Rousseau,  charmed  with  the  sublimity 
of  tins  beautiful  doctrine,  cried  out  in  admiration :  "  The 
sanctity  of  the  Gospel  speaks  to  my  heart. — Behold  the 
writings  of  the  philosophers  how  insignificant  they  are  when 
compared  with  that ! — Can  it  be  that  a  book  at  once  so 
simple  and  so  sublime  is  the  work  of  men  ?  Is  it  possible 
that  he  whose  history  it  relates  was  himself  but  a  mere 
man? — Is  that  the  tone — the  language  of  an  enthusiast,  or 
of  an  ambitious  sectary? — What  sweetness,  what  purity  in 
his  manners  and  morals ! — what  touching  beauty  and  grace 
in  his  instrn-tions  ! — what  elevation  in  his  maxims! — what 
profound  wisdom  in  his  discourse  !  what  presence  of  mind— • 
V  hal  ingenuity  and  good  sense  in  his  answers  ! — what  con 
troul,  too,  over  his  passia  ns !  where  is  the  man,  or  the  sage 
who  knows  how  to  act,  to  suffer  and  to  die  without  either 
weakness  or  ostentation  ? — -When  Plato  describes  his  imagi- 
nary character  of  a  just  man,  covered  with  all  the  opprobrium 
of  crime,  yet  worthy  of  all  the  reward  due  to  virtue,  he  de- 
scribes Jesus  Christ  feature  for  feature,  and  the  resemblance 
is  so  striking  that  all  the  Fathers  have  felt  its  force,  for  in 


..iMavMaK—.^ 


TOWARDS   GOD. 


61 


;  precept; 
ill  only  ihn 
y  und  soul 

that  thou 
luo  before 
in  heuvuti. 
If  thing 
hee,  pluck 
roni  thee. 
.  Be  not 
the  birds 
he  again, 
-Do  good 
»u  .iiayest 
iilged. — A 
vithout  its 
lou  suffer- 
or  a  great 

)  sublimity 
m:  "The 
ehold  the 
are  when 

once  so 
t  possible 
t  a  mere 
lusiast,  or 

purity  in 
and  grace 
IS ! — what 
)f  mind— 
vhat  con 

the  sage 
)ut  either 
lis  imagi- 
►probriuni 
le,  he  do* 
emblance 
ce,  for  in 


■it 


fact  it  cannot  be  mistaken.  Hom'  blindly  prejudiced  muat 
he  have  been  who  dared  to  compare  the  sou  of  Sophroniska 
to  the  son  of  Mary  !  what  an  immeasurable  distance  is  there 
between  them  ! — Socrates  dying  without  pain,  without  igno- 
miny, found  it  easy  to  keep  up  his  character  to  the  last;  and 
bad  not  his  death  done  honour  to  his  life,  we  might  doubt 
whttiier  Socrates,  with  all  his  intellect,  was  any  thing  uioie 
tliaii  a  sophist.  It  is  true  he  invented  his  moral  code,  but 
tlietj  others  before  him  had  put  it  in  practice ;  so  that  he  did 
but  say  what  they  had  done,  and  reduce  their  examples  into 
precepts.  Aristides  had  been  just  long  before  Socrates  deci- 
ded what  justice  was.  Leonidas  had  died  for  his  countt  /  be- 
fore Socrates  had  made  it  a  duty  to  love  one's  country. 
Sparta  was  sober,  ere  yet  Socrates  had  extolled  sobriety ; 
and  Greece  had  abounded  in  virtuous  men  before  he  had  le- 
fined  virtue.  But  where  had  Jesus  Christ  learned  that  pure 
and  elevated  morality  which  he  first  and  alone  promulgated 
both  by  precept  and  example? — The  death  of  Socrates, 
calmly  talking  philosophy  with  his  friends,  is  the  sweetest 
death  imaginable ;  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  expiring  atnid  tor- 
ments, jeers,  and  revilings,  and  cursed  by  an  entire  people, 
is  the  most  horrible  that  can  bo  conceived ;  Socrates,  when 
he  took  the  poisoned  cup  blessed  him  who  presented  it  be- 
cause he  wept  for  him ;  Jesus,  while  suffering  the  most  cruel 
torture,  prays  for  his  ruthless  and  infuriate  tormentors. 
Yes,  if  the  life  and  death  of  Socrates  are  those  of  a  sage, 
the  life  and  death  of  Jesus  are  the  life  and  the  death  of  a  God. 
Shall  we  venture  to  say  that  the  history  contained  in  the 
Gospel  is  merely  a  fictitious  narrative  ? — Ah  !  not  s"<^.h  is  hu- 
man invention,  and  the  history  of  Socrates,  whit'  '  o  ono 
thinks  of  doubting,  is  not  so  well  attested  as  that  of  Christ — 
It  is  much  easier  to  conceive  that  one  individual  should  have 
formed  the  subject  of  this  book,  than  that  several  men  should 
have  agreed  in  its  fabrication.  Never  would  Jewish  writers 
have  adopted  such  a  tone  or  invented  such  a  code  of  morali- 
ty, and  the  Gospel  has  the  impress  of  truth,  so  grand,  so 
sti'iking,  so  every  way  inimitable  that  the  inventor  or  author 
if  it  would  be  still  more  marvellous  than  its  hero." 

Emile  {J.  J.  Rousseau  ) 


A: 


•  ♦ 


.,^  T  k 


(i'll 


as 


DUTY    OF  THK    CHRISTIAN 


\L. 


illlli 


t:   i    :.J    .ii'! 


ExAMPLE^i — Diderot  was  surprised  by  the  visit  of  one  of 
his  friends,  while  he  was  hearing  his  daughter  recite  a  po»> 
tion  of  the  Gospel.  The  friend  could  not  help  expressing 
his  astonishment  "  Well,  after  all,"  replied  the  philosopher, 
"  what  better  can  I  teach  her  V — The  celebrated  Byron,  too, 
opposed  as  he  was  to  true  piety,  still  desired  to  have  his 
daughter  brought  up  in  the  principles  of  Christian  faith. 
And  how  many  others  like  them,  would  have  admired  th« 
Bublimity  of  the  Gospel,  and  believed  in  its  mysteries  with 
profound  adoration,  had  not  the  Gospel  commanded  us  to 
shun  evil  and  to  practise  every  virtue ! 


ARTICLE    V. 

THE    LIFE    AND   MIRACLES   OF  JESUS   CHRIST. 

t 

Jesus  Christ  has  proved  his  divine  mission  not  alone  by 
the  exact  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  which  had  for  four  thou- 
sand years  foretold  his  coming,  but  also  by  a  great  number 
of  miracles  wrought  by  his  own  hand  and  in  his  own  name. 
If  prophecy  be  a  proof  of  divine  intervention,  the  power  of 
working  miracles  is  no  less  convincing. 

If  we  saw  a  man  wield  contronl  over  the  laws  of  nature, — 
for  instance,  walking  on  the  surface  of  the  water, — restoring 
sight  to  the  blind,  or  bringing  back  the  dead  to  life,  we 
should  have  no  doubt  that  this  man  was  an  ambassador 
from  God.  We  feel  that  such  deeds  as  these  are  far  beyond 
the  power  of  man,  and  that  it  is  God  alone  who  can  sus 
pend  the  ordinary  course  of  the  laws  of  nature.  So  it  wag 
that  our  Lord  proved  his  mission ;  he  wrought  a  great  num- 
ber of  miracles,  as  the  Gospel  relates ;  he  brought  the  dead 
to  life,  he  commanded  the  winds  and  the  waves  into  still- 
ness ;  on  two  occasions  he  multiplied  bread  in  the  desert  so 
as  to  supply  food  for  the  great  multitude  M'hich  luul  i'lllowed 
him  there ;  he  changed  water  into  wine ;  he  restored  sight 
to  the  blind,  hearing  to  the  deaf,  motion  to  the  paralytic ; 
he  cured  in  an  instant  the  most  inveterate  diseases,  often 
with  a  single  word,  and  sometimes  without  either  seeing  or 
even  approaching  the  sick. 

Be  it  remarked  that  all  the  miracles  of  Our  Lord  were 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


63 


of  one  o) 
cite  a  poik 
expressing 
tiilosopher, 
8yron,  too, 
)  have  his 
stian  faith, 
imired  th« 
teries  with 
ided  us  to 


[ST. 

)t  alone  by 
r  four  thou- 
3at  number 
own  name. 
)  power  of 

■  nature, — 
—restoring 
to  life,  we 
mbassador 
'ar  beyond 
can  sus 

So  it  was 
rreat  num- 
it  the  dead 

into  still- 
3  desert  so 
J  i'lllo^'ed 
ored  sight 
paralytic ; 
asGE,  often 

seeing  or 

Liord  were 


i 


useful  to  man ;  they  were  as  much  manifestations  of  his 
goodness  as  of  his  pow<  ,  and  they  were  never  done  through 
ostentation.  In  vain  did  the  Pharisees  demand  of  him  a  sign 
fioui  heaven :  in  vain  did  Herod  express  his  desire  to  see  a 
prodigy  operated :  in  no  one  instance  did  he  do  anything 
extraordinary  to  gratify  curiosity,  but  at  the  same  time  he 
never  refused  to  cure  the  sick  or  diseased  who  implored  his 
aid.  Be  it  also  remembered  that  the  reality  of  his  miracles 
is  incontestible ;  they  were  not  performed  in  hidden  or  ob- 
scure places,  but  in  the  midst  of  the  streets  and  public 
squares,  in  the  temple,  and  before  an  entire  people.  The 
resuscitation  of  Lazarus  was  operated  at  Bethania,  within  a 
short  distance  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  presence  of  a  whole  multi- 
tude of  witnesses ;  the  cure  of  this  man  who  had  been  palsied 
for  thirty-eight  years,  and  also  that  of  the  blind  man  took  place 
in  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  This  last  miracle  was  much  talked 
of;  the  chiefs  of  the  synagogue  becoming  alarmed,  interro- 
gated the  man  who  had  been  blind,  and  also  his  parents ; 
but  their  investigation  served  only  to  confirm  the  truth  of 
the  miracle  and  to  bring  it  still  more  before  the  public. 
When  Our  Lord  performed  his  miracles  in  the  desert,  seve- 
ral thousands  of  people  were  present.  In  fact  the  greater 
number  of  his  miracles  were  wrought  under  the  very  eyen 
of  the  Pharisees  and  Doctors  of  the  Law,  who  were  his  de- 
clared eneniies>  and  therefore  the  most  likely  to  be  incred- 
ulous as  to  his  power ;  but,  confounded  by  the  evidence  of 
those  very  miracles,  they  dared  not  deny  them,  and  wer^j 
even  forced  to  vouch  for  their  authenticity.  "  What  are  we 
about?"  said  they  amongst  themselves,  "this  man  worketU 
many  miracles ;  if  we  let  him  go  on  all  the  people  will  htf 
lieve  in  him." 

We  must  then  conclude,  and  boldly  declare  that  the  ml 
racles  of  Jesus  Christ  were  sufficiently  numerous  and  sufli- 
ciently  splendid  to  prove  that  he  was  the  Messiah ;  nor  had 
any  one  of  the  ancient  prophets  been  at  all  like  unto  him. 
Hence  the  people,  filled  with  admiration,  loudly  proclaimed 
him  to  be  the  Messiah.  "  Behold ! "  said  they,  "  this  is  truly 
<he  prophet  who  was  to  come  into  the  world.  A  great  pro- 
phet hath  arisen  amcngrfit  us.  and  God  hath  visited  hii 
people." 


m 


;» ■  1 


,  .'■■,V.-.  t, 

1*  ■■..Vi  i»'i 


:  y:.ri 


i 


! . 


.-,.  fe 


'-'"■J',,. 
St 

id-' 


U 


'ii** 


\ 


64 


DFTY    OF    THE    CHRFSTIAN 


Not  only  did  our  Lord  himself  perform  many  miracleb, 
but  he  also  gave  to  his  disciples  a  similar  power.  He  said 
to  them :  "  Heal  the  sick,  raise  the  dead  to  life, — cleans« 
tepers, — drive  out  devils."  And  all  these  prodigies  have  the 
Apostles  performed  in  the  course  of  iheir  mission.  By  that 
tijey  |)r()ved  that  they  spoke  in  the  name  and  on  the  part  of 
he  author  of  nature,  and  the  effect  of  these  marvels  is  plainly 
visitOe.  It  was  by  these  means  that  they  converted  the  en- 
tire world.  The  universe,  in  its  evangelized  state  is  a  mani- 
fesi  ami  enduring  proof  of  the  miraculous  deeds  of  the 
Aposiks.  Hence  Religion  could  not  have  been  established 
on  a  firh?Gi  basis ;  its  proofs,  consisting  as  they  do,  of  both 
prophecies  and  miracles,  are  within  the  reach  of  the  simplest 
mind,  while  they  are  at  the  same  time  calculated  to  convince 
even  the  most  ei}hg'htened  understanding.  God  raised  up  a 
host  of  inspired  mon,  who,  many  ages  before,  predicted  with 
the  most  perfect  accuracy  events  the  most  unlikely  to  come 
to  pass.  To  this  is  added  miracles  the  most  incontestible, 
performed  in  the  face  of  »-{i  Judea,  multiplied  in  an  infinity 
of  ways,  and  repeated  in  ev?ry  quarter  of  the  globe.  What 
more  can  be  required,  in  order  to  produce  full  conviction, 
and  immovable  belief? 

Example. — A  certain  young  man  being  present  where 
some  one  was  exclaiming  against  miracies,  considered  it  his 
duty  to  speak  out  in  defence  of  his  faith.  He.  at  first,  quoted 
Celsus,  Julian,  and  Porphyrus,  as  being  unimpeachable  wit- 
nesses, all  of  whom  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  astonished  the 
world  by  his  miracles.  He  then  cited  the  opinion  of  J.  J. 
Rouspea'^,  and  that  of  Voltaire.  But  how  great  was  his 
surprise  on  finding  that  his  auditors  were  more  incredulous 
than  Rous&^au,  their  master,  and  more  obstinate  than  any 
apostate  in  the  disbelief  of  miracles. 

Resuming  his  discourse,  he  went  on  thus  :  "  It  apoeara, 
then,  that  you  are  absolutely  decided  not  to  yield  to  the 
authorit}'  of  your  masters,  and  that,  in  your  oninion,  Julian 
and  the  others,  were  too  cedulous.  I  ask  of  you  now  but 
one  thing,  which  I  am  sur<^  ^ov  vv^ill  grant  •  you  all  allow 
that  it  is  at  least  hard  to  believe  our  dogmas  a»d  ^tiU  ba»-d»i 
to  put  in  practice  our  moral  prepept«?"     "  Nard!  sj^y  •"athof 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


85 


impossible  !  "  was  the  answer  from  every  tongue.  Tlie  young 
man  resumed:  "Well!  then,  if  our  mysteries  are  so  in- 
credible, if  they  cannot  be  believed,  how  is  it  th.it  they 
havo  been  received  throughout  all  the  earth  ?  How  is  it 
tliat  the  Gospel  has  had  its  disciples  and  believers  in  every 
rank  of  society,  even  in  the  palaces  of  kings,  at  a  time  wheii 
Baptism  was  a  warrant  for  martyrdom  ?"  These  questions 
covered  his  adversaries  with  confusion,  and  they  troubled 
him  no  more  with  their  objections.  Merault. 


ARTICLE    VI. 

ON  THE  VIRTUES  OP  OUR  LORD. 

Jesus  Christ  has  himself  practised  in  the  highest  degree  of 
perfection,  the  Law  which  he  gave  unto  us,  and  his  entire 
life  was  but  a  faithful  exposition  of  his  doctrine.  The  more 
we  meditate  on  his  actions,  t^e  more  strongly  are  we  impress- 
ed with  the  eminent  holiness  of  his  life.  It  was  his  pleasure 
to  pass  through  the  state  of  childhood,  so  as  to  leave  a 
model  for  the  virtues  suitable  to  that  period.  His  obedience 
to  St.  Joseph  and  the  Blessed  Virgin  contains  all  the  virtues  of 
a  child :  when  he  is  submissive  and  docile,  he  hears  and  fol- 
lows the  advice  of  those  who  have  authority  over  him,  and 
by  such  docility  and  submission  what  progress  does  l>e  not 
make  in  learning  and  in  virtue  ! — Jesus  Christ  was  pkji»."5ed 
to  content  himself  with  the  practice  of  these  obscure  and  tran- 
quil virtues  till  he  had  attained  the  age  of  thirty  years,  when 
he  commenced  his  public  ministry,  at  which  period  the  more 
sublime  virtues  began  to  shine  forth  in  his  conduct.  His 
mildness  was  truly  admirable,  so  that  it  was  written  of  him 
"  he  has  not  broken  the  bruised  reed,  nor  extinguished  tho 
Bmoking  flax."  Never  was  he  known  to  repulse  a  suppliant* 
even  the  greatest  sinners  he  received  with  kindness  ;  nay,  h« 
scrupled  not  to  eat  with  them,  and  when  reproached  with  hia 
condescension,  he  replied  that  he  came  "  not  to  call  the 
just  but  sinners  lo  repentance."  "  It  is  not "  said  he  "  they  icho 
are  in  health  who  stand  in  need  of  a  physician,  but  rather 
iJiose  who  are  sick:"  He  set  himself  forth,  moreov*^',  under 
the  description  of  a  tender  father  who  hastens  to  meet  an 


,1  '■  y." 


■  '..V"  i*"! 


;:;,Vv;.U 


:«,.'.;»   A' 


i. 


%■'  ■. 


I*" 


:;k''-  ■ 


^  I r  ■  ■  ^r:  r  ■ 


I"'.    :       •  •'. 


:rM- 


li 


l;.,-*:'-^^-'' 


66 


DUTY    OP  THE    CHRISTlAIf 


ungrateful  son  on  his  return  from  his  wandenngs,  throws^ 
himself  on  his  neck,  waters  his  face  with  tears  of  gladnessy 
and  yields  himself  up  to  all  the  intoxication  of  joy,  for  thai 
his  sou  had  come  back  to  him  again.  He  caressed  little 
children,  and  placing  his  hand  on  their  heads,  he  blessed 
them,  saying  to  his  disciples,  "  Let  them  come  unto  me — hinder 
hem  not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven" — In  every 
part  of  his  conduct  we  behold  ihe  most  winning  gentleness, 
and  a  mildness  calculated  to  inspire  the  fullest  confidence, 
but  on  the  other  hand  he  never  failed  to  rebuke  the  hardened 
sinner,  and  above  all,  the  Pharisees,  whom  he  openly  r*^ 
proached  for  their  hypocrisy  and  pride. 

Jesus  Christ  manifested  on  every  occasion,  the  most  in- 
vincible patience ;  if  we  follow  him  from  the  stable  wherein 
he  was  born,  to  the  rock  of  Calvary,  whereon  he  died,  we 
shall  every  where  behold  him  in  pain,  and  in  sorrow,  toiling 
and  suffering.  He  endured  hunger,  thirst,  the  fatigue  of 
travelling,  and  all  the  inconveniences  of  extreme  poverty; 
he  was  pleased  to  possess  nothing  while  here  on  earth ;  he 
had  not  even  a  stone  whereon  to  lay  his  head ;  he  lived  ou 
the  voluntary  contributions  of  those  to  whom  he  announced 
the  word  of  God ;  he  bore  without  a  murmur  the  annoyance 
of  the  crowd  pressing  around  him ;  and  the  importunities  of 
the  sick  wherewith  he  was  continually  overwhelmed.  He 
was  loaded  with  insult  and  with  abuse,  yet  never  once  did 
he  revenge  himself  on  any  one. 

It  has  above  all  in  the  different  circumstances  of  his  passion 
that  he  displayed  a  patience  and  fortitude  truly  divine ;  not- 
withstanding the  extreme  torments  inflicted  upon  him.  he 
uttered  not  a  single  word  of  complaint,  reproach,  or  menace, 
and  when  fastened  to  the  cross,  he  prayed  for  his  tormentors. 

The  entire  life  of  Jesus  Christ  was  one  continued  exercise 
of  the  most  profound  humility ;  thus  he  said  "  Learn  of  me, 
Jbr  I  am  meek  and  humble  of  heart." — He  chose  to  be  born 
of  a  lowly  mother ;  he  passed  thirty  years  in  obscurity,  and 
when  he  did  come  forth  before  the  people,  he  ever  shunned 
the  grandeur  and  pomp  of  the  world.  Never  did  he  publish 
his  own  greatness,  and  he  even  forbade  the  people  to  speak 
of  his  miracles.  In  him,  detachment  from  worldly  wealth, 
went  BO  far  as  the  absolute  love  of  poverty ;  he  not  only 


TOWARDS   GOD. 


91 


despised  honours  but  sought  humiliations,  and  the  knowltag* 
which  he  had  of  the  vanity  of  pleasure,  made  him  picfer 
crosses  and  sufferings.  It  was,  therefore,  with  reason  that 
he  reproached  the  Jews  for  rejecting  the  truths  inculcated 
by  him,  since  his  perfect  holiness  plainly  manifested  that  he 
was  sent*  by  God. 

Example. — A  certain  holy  man  was  accustomed  to  say 
to  those  who  consulted  him  on  the  affair  of  their  salvation ; 
"  Keep  our  Saviour  before  you  in  all  your  actions,  and  they 
ehallacquire  a  sublime  degree  of  perfection,  while  at  the  same 
time  e\ '  ry  difficulty  shall  be  smoothed  away.  When  you 
awake  consider  with  what  fervour  his  sacred  humanity  ful- 
filled his  duties  to  the  Divine  Majesty ;  behold  the  disposi- 
tions with  which  he  applied  himself  to  the  labour  of  the  pro- 
fession which  he  had  embraced  to  teach  us  to  sanctify  ours ; 
hov;  he  conversed  \nth  his  neighbour ;  in  what  manner  he 
took  his  repasts ;  and  the  many  privations  which  he  endured 
for  our  sake.  If  you  are  poor,  remember  that  he  had  not 
even  a  stone  whereon  to  lay  his  head ;  if  you  are  suffering, 
behold  his  wounds  ;  it  your  enemies  persecute  you,  think  of 
the  hatred  of  the  Pharisees ;  if  you  are  deserted  by  your 
friends,  remember  that  he  was  sold  by  Judas,  denied  by 
Peter,  and  abandoned  by  all  his  disciples ;  in  a  word,  never 
lose  sight  of  that  divine  model  in  what  situation  soever  yoa 
may  be  placed,  and  your  life  shall  be  truly  angelic !" 


i.,'i 


m 

.  t"  ■  ii 


m 


■.■■;'";■ 


M^/'^i 


..■* 


',,:■/- 


CHAPTER    V, 

OP   THE    MYSTERY    OF   THE    REDEMPTION. 


ARTICLE    I. 

ntevn  christ  suffered  under  pontius  pilatb  ;  was 

CRUCIFIBD. 

The  divine  sanctity  which  shone  forth  in  Jesus  Christ,  the 
purity  of  his  doctrine,  and  the  splendour  of  his  miracles,  so 
w  from  propitiating  and  winning  over  the  Pharisees  and  the 


m:  )  i 


■  ^& 

M 

jr.:*        ■■ 


es 


DUTIf    DF    THffi    CHRISTIAN 


chiefs  of  the  Jews,  di<i  but  enkindle  their  envious  hatred,  and 
inspire  them  Avith  the  cruel  design  of  putting  him  to  death. 

The  time  being  at  hand  when  Jesus  Christ  was  to  give 
himrjolf  up  to  the  ^ury  of  the  Jews,  in  order  to  secure  our 
fiiilvation,  that  divine  Saviour  sent  two  of  his  disciples  to  pr9< 
pare  the  Pasch,  and  in  the  e vening  he  repaired  to  the  spot 
with  his  other  disciples  Having  eaten  the  PaK^,hal  Lamb, 
as  prescribed  by  the  Law,  he  arose  from  the  tabl<j,  anu  gird- 
ing himself  with  a  towel,  began  to  wash  the  fpet  of  his 
disciples.  Then  returning  to  the  t:?.ble,  he  took  breatl,  which 
he  b]<  sf^ed,  and  having  returned  thanks,  he  changed  it  into 
his  o\vii  body:  he  afterwards  took  the  cup,  containi;ig  the 
wine,  and  changed  it  also  into  his  own  blood.  He  thus  in^ 
stitutfd  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,  and  commuiidedbis 
disciples  to  ren  ,^av  what  he  had  just  done,  and  so  to  perpetu 
ate  the  memory  of  bis  ^HSsioi>,  and  death,  even  to  the  con- 
Bummation  of  the  vcrld.  ..\fter  this  memorable  action,  Jesua 
Christ  made  a  long  srd'lress  to  his  Apostles,  testifying  to  them 
the  fervour  of  his  love  for  man,  announcing  to  them  tlieir  ap- 
proaching flight,  and  promising  to  appear  to  theui  again 
aflsr  his  resurrection. 

He  then  quitted  tlie  supper-room,  and  repaired  to  the  gar- 
den of  Olives,  where,  being  arrived,  he  withdrew  a  little 
from  his  disciples  to  pray.  Reflecting  as  he  prayed,  on  the 
eiiormity  of  sin,  the  greatness  of  the  sufferings  which  he 
was  to  undergo,  and  the  little  profit  which  perverse  men 
would  derive  from  them,  he  was  seized  with  a  mortal  an- 
gilish  and  a  grievous  sadness,  so  that  his  body  was  bathed 
with  a  bloody  sweat.  Approaching  his  disciples,  he  found 
tlierc  asleep,  whereupon  returning  to  the  place  of  his  prayer, 
he  prostrated  himself  on  the  ground,  and  said:  "My  Father! 
it  it  be  possible,  let  this  chalice  pass  away  from  me, — never- 
theless not  my  will  but  thine  be  done ! "  An  angel  was  then 
lent  to  console  and  strengthen  him. 

Scarcely  had  Jesus  finished  his  prayer,  when  Judas,  who 
had  withdrawn  from  amongst  the  other  Apostles  after  sup- 
per, presented  himself  in  the  garden  at  the  head  of  a  mob 
armed  with  swords  and  clubs,  to  apprehend  him.  The  wily 
traitor  went  directly  up  to  Jesus,  and  kissed  him,  being  the 
ognal  on  which  he  hai  agreed  with  the  people  whom  he 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


o 


atred,  and 
1  to  death, 
as  to  give 
secure  our 

les  to  pre- 
;o  tho  fi|>)t 
lal  I.anib, 
,  ami  gird" 
V>et  of  hia 
ead,  which 
ged  it  into 
aini;ig  the 
[e  thus  in- 
nurided  hia 
lO  perpptu 
D  the  con- 
tiod,  Jesua 
ng  to  them 
m  tlieir  ap- 
lieui  again 

to  tht^  gar- 
sw  a  little 
^ed,  on  the 
which  he 
verse  men 
nortal  an- 
as bathed 
he  found 
lis  prayer, 
ly  Father! 
e, — never- 
)\  was  then 

udas,  who 

after  sup- 

of  a  mob 

The  wily 

,  being  the 

whom  he 


m 


brought  So  groat  was  the  forbearance  of  Our  Lord  tlia'. 
even  then  he  addressed  him  by  the  name  of  friend,  aivX' 
contented  himself  with  reminding  him  of  the  enormity  of 
th«  crime  which  he  committed"  in  betraying  him  thus.  He 
tlien  inquired  of  the  people  who  had  come  with  Judas,  wlio 
h  viis  that  they  sought ;  they  replied  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth.** 
a'l'i  !  e  quickly  answered,  "  I  am  he."  At  these  words  tiiey 
ail  foil  to  the  ground,  without  any  intention  of  doing  so,  and 
this  fall,  as  extraordinary,  as  it  v/a?  iinlooited  for,  might  have 
caused  them  to  reflect  on  what  they  were  doing,  and  to  he- 
coiiit  sensible  of  the  power  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  their  hearts 
were  so  hardened,  that  no  sooner  had  they  regained  their 
foet,  than  they  hastened  to  seize  him,  and  binding  him  with 
cords,  they  brought  him  into  the  city,  whereupon  all  his  dis- 
ciples fled  from  him  in  dismay,  and  left  him  alone  with  his 
merciless  enemies. 

The  Jews  first  conveyed  Jesus  to  the  house  of  Annas, 
father-in-law  of  Caiaphas,  who  was  then  high-priest.  They 
afterwards  took  him  to  the  house  of  Caiaphas,  who  examined 
him  concerning  his  disciples  and  his  doctrine,  to  whom  Jesus 
replied :  "  I  have  not  spoken  in  secret :  interrogate  those 
who  heard  me,  and  they  will  bear  testimony  to  what  I  have 
said."  Just  then  one  of  the  soldiers  struck  him,  but  he 
manifested  no  anger — his  patience  was  proof  against  all. 

The  chief  priests  well  knowing  that  they  could  not  accuse 
Jesus  of  any  real  crime,  set  about  seeking  false  witnesses, 
so  as  to  have  a  pretext  for  condemning  him  to  death ;  never- 
theless, their  design  did  not  succeed,  because  their  witnesses 
could  not  agree  in  their  testimony,  wherefore,  the  high- 
priest  charged  him  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  say  whether 
he  really  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  Jesus  answered 
that  he  was,  and  that  he  should  be  one  day  seen  by  men 
seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  his  Father.  On  hearing 
this,  the  pontiff  arose  from  his  seat,  and,  rending  his  gar- 
ments, cried  out  that  Jesus  had  blasphemed ;  that  there  were 
no  witnesses  now  required,  and  that  he  deserved  death. 
This  sentence  was  instantly  confirmed  by  the  chief  priests 
and  scribes  who  were  present.  Then  the  people  who  stood 
near  to  Jesus  began  to  spit  upon  his  face,  and  having  blind- 
folded him,  they  slajped  and  buffeted  him,  saying:  "  Pro- 


}  ^--i; 


.  VJ 


I 


If'.  *,'      • 


<:,  r, . 


"  •■ 


-■I 


mil- 
's '•»»/' 

ill  ■: 


■tv^' 


<  ■ 


,1  \ 


I- 

in :, 


.;  f.  • ' 


fHi" 


ji* 


'-,*f(|ijilj 


to 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHRISTIAN 


phesy  unto  us,  Oh  Christ !  who  it  is  that  strikes  thee ! "  In 
this  manner  did  they  revile  and  abuse  him,  blaspheming  his 
holy  name. 

Whilst  Jesus  was  undergoing  all  this  outrage,  a  much 
more  sensible  pain  was  inflicted  on  him  by  Peter.  That 
disciple,  having  followed  him  at  a  distance,  had  entered  the 
house  of  the  high  priest,  whereupon  a  maid  servant  taxed 
him  with  being  a  follower  of  Jesus,  and  Peter  denied  that 
he  was.  Others  having  insisted  upon  his  being  a  Galilean,  he 
again  denied ;  and  a  servant  of  the  pontiff  having  affirmed 
that  he  had  seen  him  with  Jesus  in  the  garden,  Peter,  seized 
with  fear,  confirmed  his  denial  with  an  oath.  At  that  mo- 
ni*^nt,  Jesus  turned  and  looked  at  him,  which  recalled  to  the 
minrl  of  Peter  that  Jesus  had  told  him  all  this  beforehand, 
and  going  forth  from  the  placd,  he  wept  bitterly.  Mean- 
while Jesus,  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  had  to  suffer  all 
that  night  every  species  of  outrage  and  every  torment  that 
aaaUce  could  devise. 

In  the  morning  the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  held  a 
council  in  order  to  concert  the  means  of  having  him  put  to 
death ;  they  sent  him  to  Pontius  Pilate,  governor  of  Judea, 
accusing  him  of  seeking  to  instigate  their  nation  to  rebel, 
of  forbidding  the  people  to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar,  and  calling 
himself  the  Messiah  and  the  king.  Pilate  having  questioned 
Jesus,  and  found  him  perfectly  innocent  of  all  crime,  told 
the  Jews  to  take  him  and  judge  him  by  their  own  laws. 
The  chief  priests  replied  that  they  had  no  power  to  put  any 
man  to  death,  and  renewed  their  clamorous  entreaties,  Sc-y- 
ing  that  Jesus  had  excited  the  people  by  his  doctrine  from 
Galilee  even  to  Jerusalem. 

On  hearing  that  Jesus  was  a  Galilean,  and  therefore  a 
subject  of  Herod,  the  king  of  that  country,  Pilate  was  very 
glad  to  get  rid  of  the  affair  by  sending  him  to  that  prince 
who  was  then  in  Jerusalem.  Herod  having  interrogated 
Jesus  on  the  principal  charges  brought  against  him  by  the 
scribes  and  chief  priests,  and  failing  to  draw  from  him  any 
eort  of  answer,  treated  him  with  contempt  as  being  a  fool, 
and  having  clothed  him  in  a  white  robe  by  way  of  mockery, 
he  sent  him  back  again  to  Pilate. 

Pilate,  who  had  more  probity  tlian  the  chiefs  of  the  Jews, 


•I 


^ 


?e!"    In 
ming  hi» 

a  much 
r.  That 
terod  the 
lit  taxed 
nied  that 
lilean,  he 

affirmed 
er,  seized 
that  mo- 
led to  the 
forehand, 
Mean- 
suffer  all 
ncnt  that 

•s  held  a 
im  put  to 
)f  Judea, 
to  rebel, 
td  calling 
aestioned 
Ime,  told 
wn  laws. 
►  put  any 
ties,  Su.y- 
rine  from 

srefore  a 
was  very 
it  prince 
jrrogated 
11  by  the 
him  any 
\g  a  fool, 
iuockery, 

the  Jewa, 


I 


I 


I 


TOWABDS    OOD.  71 

would  have  wished  to  set  Jesus  free,  seeing  that  it  was  envj 
alone  which  instigated  the  chief  priests  to  deliver  him  up 
nevertheless,  having  no  mind  to  displease  the  Jews  by  lib- 
erating a  man  accused  of  advising  the  people  not  to  pay 
tribute  to  Caesar,  he  endeavoured  to  pacify  them  Bringing 
forward  those  who  accused  Jesus,  he  told  thet  that  neither 
Herod  nor  himself  had  found  him  guilty  of  any  of  the  criinet 
laid  to  his  charge,  but  that,  in  order  to  please  them,  he 
would  have  him  punished,  before  he  sent  him  away.  But 
the  Jews  would  not  hear  of  any  merely  trifling  punishment, 
so  that  Pilate  was  obliged  to  seek  some  other  means  of  re- 
storing Jesus  to  liberty.  It  just  then  occurred  to  him  that 
it  was  customary  for  the  Koman  governor,  on  the  great 
festival  of  the  Pasch,  to  liberate  one  prisoner  giving  the 
choice  to  the  people.  There  being  then  in  prison  a  noted 
robber  named  Barabbas,  Pilate  demanded  whether  the  people 
would  have  him  liberate  Jesus  or  Barabbas,  supposing  that 
they  would  never  think  of  preferring  a  public  malefactor  be- 
fore the  meek  Jesus,  in  whom  no  guile  could  be  found. 
Nevertheless  the  chief  priests  persuaded  the  multitude  to 
pronounce  in  favour  of  Barabbas,  which  they  did,  crying 
out  all  together,  "  Let  Jesus  be  crucified,  and  deliver  Barab 
has  unto  us  !  '* 

Pilate,  seeing  that  every  expedient  had  fail<?v^  him,  and 
that  he  could  no  longer  hope  to  liberate  Jesus  as*  he  wished 
to  do,  took  the  resolution  of  having  him  severely  scourgad, 
in  order  to  excite  the  compassion  of  the  people  by  showing 
him  to  them  covered  with  blood. 

He  gave  him  up,  therefore,  to  the  fury  of  the  soldiers, 
who,  having  mangled  him  all  over  with  their  heavy  blows, 
clad  him  in  a  purple  robe,  and  placed  on  his  head  a  crown 
of  thorns,  then  putting  a  reed  in  his  hand,  they  bent  tlie 
knee  before  him,  exclaiming  in  their  cruel  mockery :  "  Hail ! 
King  of  I'he  Jews!"  And  spitting  on  his  sacred  fuco,  they 
took  the  reed  from  his  hand  and  gave  him  several  stroke! 
on  the  head- 
Pilate,  seeing  Jesus  in  this  pitiable  condition,  led  him  out 
of  the  pietovium,  and  sitting  down  on  his  judgment  seat,  he 
said  to  the  Jews,  '^ BehoM  the  man/"  ndding,  that  though 
he  had  thus  punished  him,  he  found  him  guiUy  of  no  crima 


'>«vi' 


v<vlJ| 


:■'■'■'''■  A 


'I.  ■■■..(<<- 


'  1-." 


'  It. 


-^' 


k'^'/''^^ 


%^  >':! 


l! 


•J'  " 


:(mi. 


f1'.     , 


*  % 


,!'• 
i' 


*>i 


(H^ 


!> 


n 


DVTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


Nevertheless,  the  chief  priests  and  tlieir  officers  no  sooner 
saw  him  than  they  cried  out,  "  Crucify  him ! — crucify  him!** 
Pihite  said  to  them  agai':,  ** Behold  your  king!"  But  they 
answered  that  thoy  had  no  other  king  but  Cassar,  and  that 
♦heir  hiw  required  tliat  .fesus  slioiild  be  piJit  to  death,  fox 
having  styled  himself  the  Son  of  God.  Being  still  more 
alarmed  by  these  lact  words,  P'iate  still  sought  a  pret'jxt  to 
lave  Jesus,  whereupon  the  Jews  lost  all  patience  and  cried 
o«t  that  if  ho  set  Jesus  free,  he  would  declare  himself  the 
ene-nay  of  Cajsar.  This  threat  produced  its  effect,  and  Pilate 
having  caused  water  to  be  bronghf,,  washed  his  hands  be- 
fore all  the  people,  saying  tliat  he  was  innocent  of  the  blood 
of  that  just  man.  In  order  to  encourage  him,  the  Jews 
vociferated ;  "  Let  his  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children  !  " 
Then  the  weak-minded  governor  abatuloned  Jesus  to  the 
fury  of  his  implacable  enemies,  who,  having  stripped  him  of 
his  purple  garment,  put  on  his  own  clothes,  laid  the  cross 
on  his  shoulders,  and  led  him  away  to  crucify  him.  Ex- 
hausted with  suffering  and  fatigue,  Our  Saviour  fell  several 
times  under  the  weight  of  that  enormous  load,  so  that  the 
soldiers  laid  hold  of  a  man  named  Simon,  who  was  coming 
in  from  the  fields,  and  compelled  him  to  assist  in  carrying 
the  cross).  We  can  scarcely  understand  why  they  did  so, 
but  it  is  probable  they  were  afraid  that  Jesus  might  die  on 
the  wiiy,  and  thus  deprive  them  of  the  pleasure  of  crucifying 
kirn,  for  we  cannot  suppose  that  they  were  actuated  by  any 
btjr/dment  of  compassion. 

It  was  at  a  place  named  Calvary,  in  the  vicinity  of  Jeru- 
salem that  Jesus  was  crucified.  On  the  top  of  the  cross 
was  placed  the  inscription  :  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  King  cf  the 
Jews, 

Those  who  passed  by,  blasphemed  him,  wagging  their 
heads  in  derision,  and  saj'ing,  "  Thou  who  couldst  destroy  the 
T(iinple  of  God,  and  in  three  days  rebuild  it,  save  now  thy- 
self : — if  thou  art  indeed  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  now 
fiom  the  cross."  The  Chief  Prie-ts,  the  Scribes,  and  the 
IMiarisees  also  mocked  him,  saying,  "  He  hath  saved  others, 
and,  lo !  he  cannot  save  himself."  Two  robbers  who  were 
crucified  with  Jesus,  one  on  either  side,  applied  to  him  the 
eauie  derisive  reproacb*»* ;  Dijvertheless,  one  of  the  two  was 


TOWARDS    OOn. 


78 


!-r 


f>  sooner 
fyhlmr 
But  they 
and  that 
eath,  for 
till  more 
retiixt  t() 
knd  cried 
nself  the 
nd  Pihite 
arids  be- 
tlie  blood 
the  Jews 
ildren  !  " 
18  to  the 
d  him  of 
the  croa3 
im.  Ei- 
11  several 
I  that  the 
s  coming 

carrying 
y  did  so, 

it  die  on 
rucifying 
d  by  any 

of  Jeru- 
the  cross 
ma  cf  the 


:mg 


their 
Bstroy  the 
now  thy- 
own  now 

and  the 
ed  others, 
who  were 
;o  him  the 

two  wag 


converted,  and  implored  Jesus  to  he  mhulful  of  him  when  lie 
came  (o  his  kingdom  ;  whereii{)oii  Josiis  .speedily  assured  him ; 
**  This  day  thou  shall  be  vnlh  me  in  paradise"  He  then 
prayed  his  heavenly  Father  to  forgive  his  executioners,  i  nd 
to  Ills  blessed  mother,  who  stooti  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  he 
said,  ])()iriting  to  Sf.  John:  "  Womaii  hrhold  thy  Son  /" — and 
to  St.  John,  •«  Behold  thy  mother !"  fie  then  said  "  I  thirst" 
ond  tliey  gave  hirn  vinegar  to  drink.  Even  thus  had  the 
Prophets  foretold  that  he  was  to  be  treated  for  the  love  of 
U«,  and  that  he  would  heal  our  wounds  by  his  own  bruises. 

Example. — A  young  lady  who  had  resolv»^d  to  emb.cice 
a  religious  Hfe,  went  to  inform  the  superior  of  a  convent  of 
her  intention.  The  latter  wishing  to  try  the  vocation  of  the 
young  postulant,  led  her  to  the  chapel,  and  made  known  to 
her  the  portion  of  time  which  was  to  be  spent  in  prayer^  not 
only  auring  the  day,  but  a  part  of  the  night ;  she  then  took 
her  to  tno  (\ormitory,  and  pointed  out  to  her  its  total  want  o-f 
comfort,  and  the  hardness  of  the  bed  on  which  she  was  to 
take  the  brief  rest  which  tlie  rules  only  allowed.  She  showed 
her  every  where  that  nature  had  to  suffer;  in  the  refectory, 
where  the  diet  was  of  the  poorest  kind  ;  in  the  chapter, 
wliere  the  slightest  fault  must  be  rigorously  punished,  &im, 
&c. :  and  then  she  asked  her  whether  she  still  persevered  in 
her  intention.  What  was  her  astonishment  when  the  young 
girl  answered,  with  as  much  candour  as  firmness :  "  Mother  I 
see  plainly  that  nature  has  much  to  suffer  here;  one  thing, 
however,  consoles  me,  and  that  is,  that  every  where  you 
brought  me  I  beheld  a  crucifix ! — Can  he  find  any  of  these 
things  hard  to  bear,  having  such  a  spectacle  before  our 
eye.'»."  

ARTICLE    II. 

DEAD    AND    BURIED. 

During  three  hours,  Jesus  Christ  suffered  the  most  ex- 
cruciating torments  on  the  cross,  when  he  at  length  cried 
out  with  a  loud  voice ;  "  My  God !  into  thy  hands  I  corn" 
mend  my  Spirit!"  and,  bowing  down  his  sacred  head,  a» 
though  giving  permission  for  denth  to  strike  him,  he  exjiifet! 

7 


'  K 


■^\i 


■:#,S 


,  I,,  /,■.» 


,  '••■»■ 

'  •     ■■  i: 

..'  ■'  ,'  ;^  ft  ' 
"'"'•'■'■.t  .f'''I',"..i 


y:< 


•ift-  >,  ■■•M 


V  ^.», 


•*  1.'.  •*■',  .i-'-'i 

'   ■•.'Vl 

•v?',(,  «.'• 

,.■. 'si'*   1 
'      i'»'.»»  ^  i 


'M0 

■  ''■>:■*   .. 
••  kV '■  ^   i 


i^r 


74 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAJf 


•^" 


H  '.' 


J!     -•*  4 


■    i:    ^ 


t,     , 

:t  _ 

-•''\ 

1 

,•• . 

.",?:: 

i^-- 

■1 

■  ■' 

•  *  •,*■ 

:-W 

|!i- 

T 

¥M 


Whilst  Jesus  was  hanging  on  the  cross,  many  extraonli* 
nary  things  took  place ;  the  earth  tremblod,  the  rocks  were 
rent  asunder,  several  sepulchres  opened,  and  the  dead  walk- 
ed forth  ;  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent,  the  sun  was 
eclipsed,  so  that  total  darkness  followed,  though  it  wai 
noon  day.  This  Ust  prodigy  caused  Denis  the  Areopagite 
to  say,  that  eithe:  the  God  of  nature  was  Buffering,  or  tha 
end  of  the  world  was  at  hand. 

These  wonders  produced  no  effect  on  the  minds  of  tlw 
Jews :  a  few  only,  following  the  example  of  the  Roman 
centurion,  struck  their  breasts,  and  said :  "  This  man  was 
indeed  the  Son  of  God." 

Meanwhile,  the  Jews,  not  choosing  to  have  the  bodies 
hanging  on  the  crosses  on  the  Sabbath  day,  requested  Pilate 
M  allow  them  to  break  their  legs  and  take  them  away. 

The  governor  then  sent  soldiers  who  broke  the  legs  of  the 
two  thieves ;  and  seeing  that  Jesus  was  already  dead,  they 
pierced  his  side  with  a  spear.  Even  so  had  the  Prophet 
foretold,  "  Thou  snalt  not  break  one  of  his  bone's ; "  and  in 
iin other  place,  "  They  shall  behold  him  whom  they  pierced." 

But  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  being  desirous  to  bury  the  body 
of  Jesus,  asked  leave  of  Pilate  to  take  it  down  from  the  cross, 
and  being  joined  by  Nicodemus,  they  embalmed  it  with 
precious  perfumes,  and  laid  it  in  a  new  sepulchre,  hewn  out 
of  the  solid  rock,  the  mouth  of  which  they  closed  wiih  a 
large  stone,  in  presence  of  the  holy  women  who  Imd  ao- 
companied  them. 

By  the  words :  Jesus  is  dead,  we  are  to  understand  that 
his  soul  was  separated  from  his  body ;  nevertheless,  it  must 
be  observed  that  his  divinity  was  neither  separated  from  soul 
or  body,  but  remained  inseparably  united  with  both. 

Jesus  Christ  submitted  to  death,  and  by  his  death  he 
•anctified  ours  ;  and  has  merited  for  us  the  favour  of  liaving 
diut  penalty  of  sin  converted  into  a  voluntary  sacrifice  most 
acceptable  to  God.  He  submitted  to  the  humiliation  of  the 
grave,  so  as  to  divest  that  state  of  the  horror  with  whicJi 
nature  regards  it,  and  to  fill  us  with  the  consoling  hope  o( 
tlie  future  resurrection  of  the  body. 

I'lie  sight  of  our  divine  head  enclosed  in  the  tomb,  whence 
he  was  so  soon  to  emerge  full  of  .^fe,  assures  us  of  the  ful- 


T0WAR08  GOD. 


76 


fllment  of  what  tho  Apostle  has  promised  ourselves:  "So 
also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is  sown  in  corrup- 
tion, it  shall  rise  in  incorruption.  It  is  sown  in  dishonour,  it 
ahull  rise  in  glory :  it  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  shall  rise  in 
power.  It  is  sown  an  animal  body  :  it  shall  rise  a  spiritual 
body." 

Example. — "  Whence  comes  it  that  you  are  never  vexed, 
or  never  seem  to  be  moved,  no  matter  what  is  done  or  said 
to  you  ?"  This  question  was  addressed  to  St.  Elzear,  Count 
of  Avian,  in  Provence,  by  his  virtuous  wife.  His  reply  was 
as  follows ;  "  How  could  I  be  angry  with  any  one,  or  com- 
plain of  any  wrong  that  is  done  me,  when  I  think  of  the  ig- 
nominy wherewith  Christ  was  loaded  for  my  sake? — What 
torments  did  he  not  endure  for  my  salvation  ?  The  mere 
thought  of  his  sufferings,  and  of  his  surprising  charity  to- 
wards those  who  tortured  and  put  him  to  death,  suffices 
to  cover  me  with  confusion,  seeing  that  I  suffer  nothing  for 
liim.  SuRius. 


:.V.' 


'■rii 


CHAPTER   VI.  ♦ 

HE    DESCENDED    INTO    HELL;    THE    THIRD    DAY    HE 
AROSE    AGAIN    FROM    THE    DEAD. 


■V^y-V' 


ARTICLE    I. 


HE    DESCENDED    INTO    HELL. 

Jesus  Christ  being  dead,  his  soul  descended  into  Limbo, 
fliat  is  to  say,  the  place  where  the  souis  of  the  patriarclis 
and  saints  who  had  died  since  the  beginning  of  the^  worl 
were  kept  in  a  state  of  expectation.  These  holy  souls  lovec. 
and  praised  God,  looking  forward  to  the  coming  of  the  di- 
vine Liberator,  but  they  were  excluded  from  heaven,  because 
fli6  gate  thereof  had  been  closed  against  mankind  by  the 
sin  of  our  first  parents,  and  was  only  to  be  opened  by  the 
death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  presence  of 
Lis  holy  soul  united  to  his  divinity,  the  spirits  of  the  just, 


•^', 


■•'<j 


I 


fi 


'3- 


'5*      --■ 


i  •  ■•■  ■  • 

f'  .-.•-■■.  • 


;  •>* 


■•    u- 


Ik.;-: 


V  ,. 


:M 


1.  ■•■•      ®^ 


III  '"■'•  -•  i^; 


ii:; 


*:.'^ 


v-^ 


■^v 


70 


DUTY    OF    rilE    CHRISTIAN 


e^en  in  tlioir  prison,  began  at  once  to  enjo}*  that  liappinean 
which  they  had  so  long  and  so  ardently  desired ;  neverthe- 
less, they  did  not  ascend  into  heaven  till  the  day  of  the 
ascension,  because  it  was  fitting  that  he  who  by  his  death, 
throw  open  its  gates,  should  himself  be  the  first  to  enter. 
It  was  on  that  day,  then,  that  they  entered  heaven  in  \m 
triumphant  train,  and  took  possession  of  the  reward  of 
their  labours. 

ExAMrLT2. — "  When  you  are  preparing  yourself  for  the 
holy  communion,"  said  a  saintly  personage  to  his  disciples, 
"  endeavour  to  excite  within  you  the  dispositions  of  those 
blessed  souls  who  had  for  four  thousand  years  sighed  for  the 
coming  of  the  Redeemer.  Who  could  express  their  joy 
when  they  beheld  for  the  first  time  the  adorable  soul  and 
divinity  of  the  Liberator ! — With  what  transports  of  de- 
light did  they  cast  themselves  before  him  to  pay  their  homage 
to  him,  and  to  thank  him  for  the  satisfaction  which  he  had 
offered  for  them,  and  for  the  favour  he  did  them  in  thus  re- 
vealing to  them  his  beatified  presence ! — They  wero  solely 
occupied  with  contemplating  him.  Renounce  ir  like  man- 
ner all  other  aflJections,  and  attach  yourself  t*-.  him  alone 
both  for  time  and  for  eternity." 


ARTICLE    IL 

THE    THIRD    DAY    HE    AROSE    AGAIN    FROM    ''^HB    DEAD. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath  (Saturday)  ae  Jews  went 
to  Pilate,  and  repeating  to  him  what  Jesus  and  said  con,- 
cerning  his  resurrection,  they  requested  that  i-  ^uard  should 
be  placed  on  the  sepulchre,  lest  his  disciples  i-iight  carry  off 
the  body,  and  give  out  that  he  was  risen  agam.  Pibite 
granted  the  desired  permission :  "you  have  guards,"  said  he, 
"  go  guard  the  sepulchre  as  you  1' low." 

The  chief  priests  having  ascertained  that  the  bot^.y  of  Jesus 
was  /Still  there,  sealed  up  the  stone  in  the  mouth  of  the  sepuU 
ch'e,  and  set  guards  to  watch  it.  Thus  did  providence  ar- 
range it,  in  order  to  place  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ 
beyond  a  doubt,  by  the  very  precautions  which  his  enemies 


■M 


TOWARD!  GOD. 


n 


took  to  preveii  any  imposture.  If  the  body  of  Jesus  had 
not  buoii  seen  it.  the  tomb  more  than  twenty-four  liours  after 
being  hiid  there,  the  Jews  migiit  have  said  that  he  waa  not 
dead,  and  had  they  not  placed  guards  of  their  own  to  watch 
it,  tlioy  niight  have  accused  the  Apostles  of  having  gained 
over  the  llotiian  soldiers  to  let  them  carry  off  the  body  of 
the  Savioui'. 

Nevertheless,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  Jesus  Christ 
having  arisen  from  the  dead,  (that  is  to  say,  that  ho  iiad 
again  united  his  soul  and  body)  came  forth  gloriously  f'oni 
tlie  tomb  ;  whereupon  an  angel  descended  from  heavtn,  and 
rolling  back  the  stone  from  the  mouth  of  the  sepulciu'e,  sat 
down  upon  it.  The  guards  were  so  terrified  that  they  fell 
to  the  giound,  apparently  dead.  When  they  recovered, 
however,  they  went  to  inform  the  chief  priests  of  what  liad 
passed,  who  promised  them  lai'ge  sums  of  money  on  con- 
dititai  tltat  they  gave  out  that  while  they  slept  the  diseij)Ie3 
of  Jesus  had  taken  away  his  body;  at  the  same  time  tiiey 
undertook  to  exculpate  them  before  the  governor,  in  case 
they  were  brouglit  into  trouble.  In  the  meantime,  Mary 
Magilalen,  who  knew  nothing  of  what  was  passing,  or  even 
that  the  se])ulchi'e  was  guarded,  had  come  from  Jerusalem 
with  some  other  |)ious  women  to  embalm  their  master's  body. 
Arrived  in  the  garden,  they  saw  the  sepulchre  open  !  where- 
upon Mary  Magdalen  ran  to  tell  the  Apostles.  St.  Peter 
and  St.  John  hastened  thithe",  and  finding  only  t!ie  grave- 
clotijes,  tiiey  returned  to  the  city,  wondering  at  what  had 
happeuetl,  but  still  not  believing  that  Jesus  was  risen. 

Magdalen,  going  back  alone  to  the  se[)ulchie  beiuld  the 
angel  sitinig  there,  who  assured  her  that  Jesus  Cluist  had 
arisen,  and  soon  after  she  saw  the  Saviour  himsell',  who 
connnanded  her  to  go  tell  the  disciples  what  she  had  seen; 
whilst  she  was  gone,  Our  Loid  appeared  to  the  other  holy 
women  wiio  staid  behind  in  th'i  garden.  On  the  same  day 
he  showed  himself  to  two  of  tlie  disciples  who  were  g^'ing 
to  Enimaus,  and  these  two,  hastening  back  to  inform  the 
Ap(jslles  i)f  what  had  happened  to  them,  found  them  assem- 
bled together,  convershig  on  the  subject  of  the  resurrection, 
and  oihlsi  having  appeared  to  St.  Peter.  Immediately  Jesus 
stood  in  their  midst,  spoke  to  them  for  some  time,  and  re- 


'  <  •..     4'''    ^'  I- 


'•i^;••'i■■!■■t 


i 


li^^t 


.  ■•J  1 

m 

•:'..vV^i'Ka 

1  Viv-ff".;  i: 

^:i 

■  n-^: 


:i 


•i',  * 


■,.■  i 


^.:   «! 


i:." ':.  7y^^ 


iiii:*^" 


,:•;■  'i'ti!'-   '■Am 
'1'^     '•{>•' .'■•'■1 

'I   , •  .i  I.- 


'i 


m 


^  'Ik 


'It' 

•iti' 


78 


DUTV    OF    tHE    CHRISTIAN 


proached  them  with  their  incredulity  in  refusing  to  believe 
tliose  who  had  told  them  of  his  resurrection.  Thomas  was 
not  ])resent  on  that  occasion,  and  he  would  not  believe  the 
other  A|W)stles  that  Jesus  had  been  theie.  But  eight  days 
after,  Jesus  once  more  appeared  to  them  all,  and  addressing 
himself  to  Thomas,  ordered  him  to  draw  near  and  put  his 
hand  in  the  wound  in  his  side,  and  his  fingers  in  the  holes 
made  by  the  nails  in  his  hands.  The  Apostle  exclaimed  in 
an  eestacy  of  conviction:  "My  Lord  and  my  God!'*  It 
was  thus  that  for  forty  days  Jesus  Christ  showed  himself 
on  various  occasions  in  the  assemblies  of  the  Apostles  and 
disciples,  spoke  to  them,  eat  with  them,  recalled  to  their 
minds  the  lessons  he  had  given  them  before  his  death,  in- 
structed them  on  the  establishment  of  his  Church,  wrought 
miracles  before  them,  and  so  convinced  them  of  the  truth 
of  his  resurrection. 

Example. — Jonas  is  one  of  the  most  striking  figures  of 
our  Saviour's  resurrection.  That  prophet  had  been  sent  to 
preach  penance  to  the  Ninevites,  but  fearing  that  barbarous 
people  that  they  might  kill  him,  he  embarked  for  Tharsis. 
The  Lord,  being  angry  with  him  for  his  disobedience,  per- 
mitted a  furious  tempest  to  overtake  him  on  the  sea.  The 
sailors  were  struck  with  terror,  and  thinking  that  there  was 
something  supernatural  in  this  fearful  storm,  they  suspected 
that  it  was  the  wrath  of  heaven  pursuing  some  criminal ; 
whereupon  they  cast  lots,  and  the  lot  fell  on  Jonas.  Being 
thus  made  sensible  of  his  fault,  he  consented  that  they  should 
throw  him  overboard,  and  even  urged  the  sailors  to  do  it, 
in  order  to  save  the  crew  of  the  vessel.  They  yielded, 
though  with  reluctance,  and  forthwith  the  tempest  died 
away;  nevertheless,  the  Lord  wishing  at  the  same  time  to 
save  the  prophet's  life,  and  to  make  him  a  figure  of  the  Sa- 
viour's resurrection,  ordered  it  so  that  he  was  swallowed  up 
by  a  sea- monster.  After  three  days  he  was  vomited  forth 
on  the  sand,  without  having  sustained  the  slightest  injury. 
Thereupon  the  prophet,  instructed  by  his  own  experience, 
accomplished  his  mission  and  converted  Nineveh.  We  are 
assured  by  Jesus  Christ  himself,  that  Jonas,  in  the  whale's 
i»elly,  was  the  figure  of  his  own  body  cast  into  the  earth, 


<! 


TOWAKDS    GOD. 


79 

And  arisifjg  therefrom  on  the  third  day.  David  also  had  an- 
noiiiieed  tliis  niystery,  saying  in  the  name  of  the  Messiah: 
"  Tliou  wilt  not  that  thy  Holy  One  should  undergo  the  cor- 
ruption ©f  the  tornb." 


ARTICLE    III. 

PROOFS    OF    THE    RESURRECTION    OF    JESUS    CHRIST. 

To  prove  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  to  prove  al 
tlie  same  time  his  divinity  and  the  truth  of  all  that  he  has 
taught  Thus,  if  Jesus  is  risen  again,  there  is  a  Church, 
there  are  sacraments,  a  heaven,  a  hell,  an  eternity,  dec. 

The  testimony  of  the  Apostles  regarding  this  great  event 
can  only  be  contested  in  two  ways,  that  is  to  say,  either  by 
asserting  that  they  were  themselves  deceived,  or  that  they 
deceived  others.  For  a  narrative  must  be  taken  as  true, 
when  we  are  assured  that  they  who  relate  it  have  neither 
been  seduced  into  error  themselves,  nor  sought  to  seduc<> 
Others ;  when  they  seem  quite  sure  of  what  they  record  being 
true,  and  relate  it  with  the  utmost  accuracy. 

If  the  skeptic  say  that  the  Apostles  were,  indeed,  sincere 
in  their  account,  but  were  themselves  imposed  on,  we  may 
ask  him,  in  what  manner  it  was  that  they  were  deceived ; 
il',  for  example,  they  really  saw  nothing  when  they  imagined 


tliat  they  saw  Jesus,  or  if  they  mistook  some  other 
ance  for  him.     To  impute  to  them  a  succession  of 


pear- 
such 
serious  blunders  would  be  to  suppose  that  their  minds  were 
deranged — they  must  have  been  fools,  in  which  case,  their 
imbecility  would  have  been  perceived,  they  wo  a  Id  have  been 
reproached  for  it,  not  a  soul  would  have  listened  to  them, 
nor  could  they  have  made  any  conversions.  If  their  minds 
were  deranged,  their  malady  must  have  been  precisely  the 
same  in  all  and  their  minds  must  have  wandered  in  the  same 
direction.  Let  any  one  who  could  fancy  such  a  thing  pos- 
sible, go  into  a  lunatic  asylum  and  see  whether  he  can  find 
two  persons  labouring  under  the  same  kind  of  insanity.  But 
as  far  as  the  Apostles  are  concerned,  all  t'leir  words  and  ac- 
tions go  to  prove  that  they  were  in  full  possession  of  their 
intellectual  faculties. 


.i.^\ 


■''.  *j  ■ 


■..V''i 


•J  ■  .■•!•  "     ■'» 


•v  ■■:'!  .-  v_ 


■•' 


■'■A  J-    'viJ 


■,  > 


I* 

1  *    'J 


■i  ■ 


:-i^-V.tv 


'•'•V  /^i^'RI 


.■»ii; 


mm 


\i' 


*• 


i 


•i^ 


*'/^ 


.   -X 


!,"     *•, 


^'■, 

_ 

|i# 

(riii 

• 

60 


DUrr    OP   THE    CHRISTI.nW 


It  is  true  there  is  a  possibility  that  a  man  may  be  deceived, 
and  either  imagine  that  he  sees  what  he  really  does  not  see 
6v  he  may  mistake  one  object  for  another;  but  when  a 
great  number  of  men  are  under  the  same  illusion,  so  that 
o''  a  whole  multitude  there  will  not  be  found  one  more  clear- 
sighted or  with  a  better  understanding,  so  as  to  discover  and 
show  up  the  error  of  the  rest,  then  the  thing  is  altogether 
improbable  We  may  easily  be  mistaken  in  the  identity  of 
a  person  whom  we  have  seen  but  once ;  but  common  S'unso 
spurns  the  idea  that  a  similar  mistake  could  be  made  with 
regard  to  a  pei  ion  whom  we  had  perfectly  known,  wnom 
we  have  repeatedly  seen  face  to  face,  and  with  whom  we 
have  conversed  long  and  frequently.  A  single  sense  may 
sometimes  be  deceived,  but  that  all  the  senses  should  be  at 
fault ;  that  we  should  at  the  same  time  imagine  that  we  saw, 
heaid,  and  touched  one  who  in  reality  we  neither  saw, 
heard,  nor  touched,  is  an  absurdity  which  shocks  all  physical 
certainty,  founded  as  it  principally  is,  on  the  conformity  of 
the  various  senses. 

These  premises  once  established,  let  us  apply  them  to  the 
naiTative  of  the  Apostles,  whose  sincerity,  at  least,  is  now 
generally  conceded. 

They  tell  us,  then,  that  Jesus  Christ  whom  they  knew 
pei-fectly  well,  having  been  for  three  years  his  followers,  ap- 
peared not  only  to  one  of  them,  i)ut  to  several  amongst 
them ;  now  to  one,  now  to  another,  to  Magdalen,  and  the 
other  devout  women,  to  Peter,  to  the  disciples  going  to 
Emm;ius,  then  to  all  the  Apostles  in  full  assombl}',  and  in 
fine  to  more  than  five  hundred  persons.  They  mention  the 
plnces  whei-ein  he  appeared,  relate  die  conversations  which 
h<'  held  with  them,  the  reproaches  which  he  made  to  them  ; 
and  the  mission  on  which  he  sent  them.  They  tell  us  that 
tiiey  ate  with  him,  that  they  t'^lt  the  wounds  in  his  hands, 
nis  feet,  and  his  side.  Is  there,  then,  any  possibility,  that  a 
concurrence  of  circimstances  so  varied  could  hive  been  the 
efTt  ct  of  illusion  ?  Can  anj'  rational  mind  suppose  that  so 
many  men  were  deceived  at  the  s.-ime  time,  and  in  precisely 
the  snme  manner;  that  they  all  fancied  they  saw  that  which 
iiey  did  not  see,  heard  what  never  struck  their  ear,  aiiti 
touched  what  never  came  under  their  hajidsJ 


m. 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


81 


But  it  may  he  objected,  that  the  Apostles  were  illiterate, 
and  thenfore  open  to  imposition.  It  is  quite  true  that  they 
were  illiterate,  but  it  does  not  follow  th^t  they  were  either 
blitxl  v'l  ;]t';if.  Where  any  palpable  fact  is  in  question,  a,a 
unlettered  man  is  as  good  a  witness  as  a  philosopher;  and 
do  not  the  judges  every  day  decide  the  fate  and  fortunes  oi' 
the  accused  on  the  depositions  of  ignorant  and  illiterate  wit- 
nesses. Do  they  ever  think  of  asking  a  witness  whether  he 
has  been  admitted  into  the  academy  of  sciences  before  they 
receive  his  testimony  ? — No,  he  has  seen,  he  has  heard,  and 
that  suffices. 

If  i.  iv  again  be  objected  that  the  Apostles  being  per- 
suaded that  their  master  was  to  rise  again,  were  conse- 
quenfl}'  predisposed,  and  made  liable  to  be  deceived.  Yes, 
without  doubt,  Jesus  had  told  them  that  he  would  rise 
again,  but  after  his  death  they  took  so  little  note  of  that 
promise,  that  they  refused  at  first  to  believe  those  who  had 
seen  him.  They  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  they  would 
not  believe,  without  the  evidence  of  their  own  senses,  and 
would  see,  hear,  and  touch  before  they  could  be  brought 
to  believe.  It  must  then  be  acknowledged  that  the  Apostles 
could  not  have  been  deceived,  and  that  having  seen  and 
heard  more  than  enough  to  convince  them,  they  did  really 
believe  that  Jesus  Christ  arose  from  the  dead. 

But  even  supposing  that  they  did  not  believe  it,  let  us 
examine  whether  they  could  have  imposed  on  the  entire 
world  by  announcing  facts  in  which  they  themselves  had  no 
faith.  Those  men  would  undoubtedly  be  exceedingl}^  base, 
who  being  determined  to  deceive  both  the  world  at  large 
and  theii"  own  conscience,  and  joining  hypocrisy  to  false- 
hood, would  have  us  adore  as  a  God  him  whom  they  knew 
to  be  an  impostor.  Not  only  would  such  men  be  guilty  in 
the  extreme,  but  such  conduct  must  have  some  interested 
motive.  What  do  we  see  in  the  Apostles  to  authorize  so 
foul  a  suspicion  of  them  ?  They  brought  to  the  world  the 
purest  and  holiest  morality  ;  there  was  not  a  vice  which  they 
did  not  combat,  nor  a  virtue  which  they  did  not  inculcate. 
Had  they  been  actuated  by  the  love  of  gain,  would  they  not 
have  flattered  the  human  heart,  instead  of  attacking  as  they 
did  the  customs,  the  passions,  the  prejudices  of  mankind  ^ 


,  •   t  ft.    <!■*  ; 
■     ■  .-  ■.■•..  '■'.'    ■■   (■ 

•■'/> 


■M 


■■»*: 
I  i-l 


■  "■■■•.■■  ,'.*••  •.'I.'  •,  i 

■     '.   ^.l^■    -IV'  "it 

'■■.'"  ■  W.'  *    !■ 

.•     ■••  ■■•■"'• -.Iv 
1      .     '  >_■>. 


f-*.'^';r' 


i^! 


:  iv' 


1. 

( 

1 

X, 

... 

>»' 

AihJ'i 

m 


62 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAN 


Would  they  not  have  made  some  allowance  for  the  times, 
the  passions,  and  the  inclinations  of  the  heart ;  and  would 
they  have  referred  to  a  future  life  the  reward  of  the  sacri- 
fices \\lnch  they  required  of  men?  Would  r.ot  their  con* 
duct  have  belied  their  fair  precepts,  and  of  all  the  numeroua 
preachers  of  the  new  doctrines,  would  not  some  one  havB 
let  out  the  secret  of  the  great  plot  formed  by  them  to  deceive 
tile  world? 

The  first  care  of  an  impostor  is  to  destroy  all  traces  of 
his  fraud,  and  he  places  his  invented  facts  at  a  distant 
peri  (id,  and  in  a  distant  region,  so  as  to  guard  against  the 
mvestii^ation  of  his  contemporaries.  The  contrjuy  is  the 
cr^ao  with  the  Apostles,  who,  immediately  after  the  death  of 
Jesus  Christ,  commenced  preaching  even  in  Jerusalem  itself, 
nd  feared  not  to  say :  "  Yourselves  have  been  witnesses  of 
jvhnt  we  tell  you,  you  have  seen,  and  you  have  heard."  And 
IB  thjii*  any  objection  made  to  this  assertion  of  theii'sl 
None.  Did  any  man  undertake  to  prove  that  Jesus  had  not 
arisen?  Not  so,  but  they  imposed  silence  on  the  Apostles* 
Oh !  how  forceful  is  the  silence  of  so  many  adversaries  inter- 
ested not  only  in  disputing  these  facts,  but  in  publishing 
tlieir  victory  to  the  world,  if  victory  they  could  obtain ! 

Men  only  expose  themselves  to  great  danger,  or  subject 
(liemselves  to  toil  and  privation,  when  spurred  on  by  intes^ 
est,  and  yet  when  the  Apostles  persisted  in  preaching  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  it  was  utterly  opposed  to  their  own 
interest,  as  far  as  the  things  of  this  world  were  concerned. 
They  had  deserted  him  in  his  lifetime,  and  if  he  were  not 
risen  again,  what  could  they  expect  from  him  ?  Were  they 
not  sutticiently  acquainted  with  the  hatred  of  the  Jews  to 
know  that  torture  and  dea<  i  wo'iM  be  the  only  fruits  of  their 
obstinacy  ? 

But  supposing  even  that  the  Apostles  uad  wished  to  de» 
eeive  others,  could  they  have  done  so  ?  In  that  case  thero 
must  have  been  a  preconcerted  plan,  and  a  collusion  amongal 
five  hundred  witnesses  regarding  the  resurrection  is  a  manW- 
fest  absurdity.  What !  would  they  all,  men  and  womon  as 
they  were,  have  been  stupid  enough  to  imagine  that  they 
eould  deceive  the  world,  nor  yet  shrink  from  the  iVai-  of  e:^ 
posur«>?     Again,  suppose  the  plot  already  formed,  it  must 


t  they 

of  exy 

t  must 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


(s'l 


Iw  sustained  and  carried  out ;  everything  mug  be  so  well 
concerted,  that  not  the  slightest  discrepancy  shall  appoar  ; 
the  ever-varying  interest  of  so  many  persons  must  become 
fixed  and  unchangeable;  there  must  be  amongst  them  nc'ther 
jealousy,  nor  disputes,  nor  discussions,  which  must  and  will 
arise  in  every  human  assembly.  But  that  is  not  all :  the 
disciples  are  put  to  the  tortuic,  and  they  are  then  promised 
life  and  rich  rewards  if  they  will  only  cease  to  give  ti^sti- 
mony  of  Jesus  Christ ;  they  asked  but  for  a  word,  nay,  even 
a  sign  of  consent,  but  they  remain  immovable.  If  even 
some  of  them  were  so  base  as  to  deny  their  faith,  yet  they 
made  no  allusion  to  any  plot  or  secret;  tl  ey  renounce  fueir 
faith,  and  that  is  all.  Nay,  some  of  these  unhappy  persons, 
torn  with  remorse,  went  back  and  presented  themselves  to 
tlie  executioners,  demanding  as  a  favour  that  they  should  be 
permitted  to  expiate  their  apostacy  with  their  blood. 

Let  us  now  see  in  what  way  the  Jews  sought  to  refute 
the  truth  of  the  resurrection  :  they  assert  that,  by  night,  and 
while  the  guards  were  asleep,  the  disciples  of  Jesns  carried 
oft'  the  body  of  their  master.  Now,  the  testimony  of  the 
A|)ostles,  and  that  of  the  guards  agree  in  establishing  this 
fact,  that  the  body  of  Jesus  which  had  been  visited  in  the 
tomb  on  Saturday  evening,  was  not  there  on  Sunday  morn- 
bg.  The  Jews  assert  that  it  was  carried  off  by  the  Apostles, 
and  these  latter  maintain  thsn  it  rose  from  the  dead  ;  if  one 

of  the 


tlij 


f'dsehood 


of  those  propositions  be  found  true, 
other  will  of  course  follow. 

The  guards  had  been  chosen  from  amongst  the  Jews;  an 
Important  object  was  in  view ;  it  was  supposed  that  the 
Apostles  might  come;  it  may  well  be  believed,  therefore, 
how  strict  were  tiie  orders  given  and  how  secretly  the  puss- 
word  w  ,i  kept;  the  gu-irds  well  knew  that  in  their  position 
tlie  sligiitest  negligence  would  be  treated  as  a  crime,  md 
moreover,  they  had  to  watch  Ujt  for  one  night  The  Apostles, 
on  the  (ther  hand,  were  ^imid,  and  not  yet  recovered  from 
the  fright  into  which  they  were  thrown  by  the  death  of  theif 
master ,  they  had  everything  to  fear  from  the  chiefs  of  tlio 
Ryiiagoguo,  and  is  it  tiien  likely  that  they  would  have  en- 
gaged in  such  an  enterprise??  Such  fables  might,  pass  cur- 
rent  with  a  child,  but  how  could  a  man,  endowed  with  eoru^ 
mon  sense  and  judifment,  for  a  mom.ent  ber*?ve  tliem. 


"*             •      '  '  ' 

'•'•*•''■  '''ii  s-l 

•/4  ;: 

■   '  ■'  ■  '/'V     ''''«• 

•■■;  "K  u 

1  .'1  m 

.  V  *■' 

- 1.  .■,  . 

■i    *^ 

:■>■•:  ^ 

i'-  '■/■■'r.N 

>v 

«ts 


'*t 


>V'.*,  ■. 


vi 


-  i 


f  -  ■  ., 


5*         mm-    ■' 


♦  ■ .' 


I 


r  , 


jf   ^1 


:  '' 


.1 


■i- 


It         --i..       -J" 

It       :  ...  ■• 


!I!U 


'I 


64 


PUTY    OP   THE    CHRISTIAN 


''■  But"  say  the  guarda,  "  it  was  while  we  slept."  And  if 
they  were  asleep,  how  did  they  know  what  happened  ?  Ho\* 
coulil  they  account  for  what  passed  during  their  sleep? 
Such  is,  nevertheless,  the  vague  testimony  on  which  th« 
synagogue  rests  in  deciding  the  most  important  question 
ever  moot(*d  in  the  world.  Nor  is  this  all :  the  soldiers  con- 
less  that  they  slept,  though  bound  to  remain  wakeful  and 
watching  at  their  post;  they  acknowledge  that  they  suHered 
the  body  of  Christ  to  be  conveyed  away,  while  their  duty 
was  to  guard  it.  They  were  guilty  then,  t^ven  on  their  own 
showing  of  culpable  negh}ct,  and  every  one  knows  the  severe 
puniiihaienf,  wuicli  thy  milit.iry  authorities  have  ever  intlioted 
on  him  who  betrays  trust,  and  neglects  his  post.  Why, 
then,  were  not  these  men  punished?  When  Peter  was 
mii-aculously  delivered  from  the  prison  whereiji  he  had  been 
contined  by  Herod,  the  soldiers  wko  had  been  on  guard 
over  hira  were  put  to  the  torture,  notwithstanding  that  they 
were  found  at  their  post,  and  the  doors  duly  closed.  Now 
the  disappearance  of  Christ's  body  was  of  much  more  im- 
portance, the  fault  of  the  guards  much  more  serious,  and 
the  interest  of  the  people  much  greater  ?  How  is  it,  then, 
that  the  greatest  enemy  of  religion  has  never  been  able  to 
bring  forward  the  slightest  proof  of  any  reproach,  or  any 
punishment  inflicted  by  the  Sanhedrim  on  those  faithless 
guards. 

Again,  do  we  find  that  any  attempt  was  made  to  })?'osecut8 
any  of  the  Apostles  for  this  supposed  trick  of  theirs  ?  No 
such  thing.  What!  there  had  been  so  many  precautions 
takyn  to  prevent  the  crime,  yet  when  it  was  committed  the 
offence  was  passed  over  widiout  a  word ! — and  then  when 
it  was  boldly  declared  that  Jesus  Christ  had  risen  again,* 
when  numbers  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  were  converted 
to  his  faith,  there  was  nothing  said  of  this  pretended  carry- 
ing otT;  people  were  only  prohil)ited  from  speaking  in  the 
name  of  Jesus.  Wherefore  tl.is  silence,  when  a  single  word 
would  lijive  sufficed  to  annihilate  the  new  belief?  It  was 
bee  Mie  the  Sanhedritu  well  knew  that  no  such  word  would 
be  lolieved,  for  that  the  miracles  of  the  Apostles  would 
^ove  it  false ;  and  that  they  would  thus  bring  renewed  dis- 
grace uj)on  themselves. 


1  ■   • 

♦^ 

M 

TOWARDS    GOD. 


SiJ 


Bui,  it  may  bo  asked,  why  was  it  that  Jesus  Christ  after 
his  resurrection  appeared  onily  to  his  own  disciples? — If  it 
had  pleasttd  him  to  make  lis  rCuSurreclioa  as  public  as  his 
death,  it  would  have  been  as  impossible  t.o  doubt  the  one  as 
the  other,  and  his  adversaries  would  have  been  struck  du'rih, 

But  what  adversaries  do  they  mean  who  say  so?  Is  ill 
his  own  contemporaries,  or  those  of  the  present  day  ? — Wliy, 
the  former  had  heeu  eye  witnesses  of  the  miracles  of  .lesus 
Christ ;  the  sick  whom  he  had  cured,  and  the  dead  whom  ho 
had  i.ilied,  were  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  yet  they  refused 
to  believe  in  him ;  they  could  not  deny  the  facts,  but 
passi-:;  made  them  dispute  their  consequences.  The  ::ig'ht 
of  Jesus  Christ,  risen  from  the  dead,  would  have  been  yet 
another  miracle,  but  it  would  have  been  useless  like  the 
others.  If  a  man  chooses  to  close  his  eyes,  will  he  see  any 
better  for  the  light  being-  made  brighter  around  him  ? 

And  then,  speaking  of  the  skeptics  of  our  own  times? 
Does  any  one  suppose  that  they  would  be  more  d<u3ile  than 
the  doctors  of  the  Sanhedrim,  when  some  of  them  are  heard 
to  assert  the  impossibility  of  miracles,  others  to  mock  at  all 
human  testimony,  and  reject  moral  certainty ;  these  last 
maintaining  that  evidence  which  would  be  more  than  suf- 
ficient in  ordinary  cases,  will  not  hold  good,  or  produce  con- 
viction when  miraculous  facts  are  in  question. 

To  pretend  that  God  must  furnish  for  his  miracles  the 
most  palpable  proofs  that  can  be  given,  is  downriglit  blas- 
phemy. Are  we  to  suppose  that  a  fact  is  not  sufficiently  de- 
monstrated, if  every  proof  that  an  opponent  may  choose  to 
demand  be  not  forthcoming? — What  matters  it,  then,  if  the 
resuneetion  be  not  proved  by  an  uninterrupted  course  of 
miracles,  since  it  has  been  really  and  distinctly  demonstra- 
ted ?  and  truly  has  it  been  so ;  ttie  testimony  of  the  Apostles, 
the  silence  of  their  adversaries,  the  death  of  millions  of 
mariyrs,  the  conversion  of  the  world,  the  entire  reform 
which  men  in  embracing  the  Christian  faith  have  had  and 
still  have  to  make  in  their  conduct,  all  these  are  irrefregable 
proofs  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  consv<3qiio;)tly 
of  his  divinity,  and  the  truth  of  all  that  which  he  has  taught 
us. 

E\AMPLK. — "My  brethren,"    says    St.   Augustin,   "  tiie 


■'■■■  .■   •, -vi''     ivi 


■''>  >.f  ■,  ' ■"■'■I/  /■  ^ 

■'.',.'■■.  ■■».' 


■■  V';;,''- 


'.•;?■  » •  ■^.  •  t, 
,■'''■  •''i*-\.     " 

,  *:•     "  •    i« 

•:     ■   ■■         -«•!'. 
■'■■'■'■•     'I  '      ,™.- 

■  *  ;    ,'  ' 

■  '     ■  ■ .'  ■     ♦•  : 


■  ;*•,-;,  v.. ^.' 


¥-.■■■■ 


M  ■■■■.■■.  ■- 

i]  :..•..  •;•' 


■•  ^  % 


■^i 


ail"-.' 


■*^,^,, 


•.»' 


II 


•ri 


pf'-f 


'■'if-  iiT^'St" 


86  DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 

Rcsurrectioti  of  Christ  is  so  certain,  thiit  we  niiyht  take  for 
evidence  the  so  diers  ks  to  guard  his  body;  nevtirtheiess^ 
avarice,  which  had  corrupted  a  perfidious  disciple,  v/na 
again  employed  to  pervert  the  first  witnesses  of  (he 
resurrection.  "  We  will  pay  you  well,"  said  the  Je'/zs  to 
then),  "  if  you  will  give  out  that,  while  you  were  asleep,  his 
disciples  came  and  conveyed  him  away."  Truly  they  had 
deceived  themselves  in  their  search.  VVhat  have  you  said? 
Unhappy  adroitness!  Is  it  possible  that  you  cast  yourselves 
BO  blindly  into  the  depths  of  detestable  malice  ? — "  Say," 
baid  the  Jews  to  the  soldiers  **  that  whilst  you  slept,  his  dis- 
ciples took  him  away!"  Wretches!  Ye  yourselves  must  be 
really  asleep  when  you  bring  forward  as  evidence,  sleep 
ing  witnesses ! 


CHAPTER   VII. 

HE    ASCENDED    INTO    HEAVEN  *,     AND    SITTETH    AT    THE 
RIGHT    HAND    OF    GOD. 

Forty  days  afte;  b'^  resurrection,  Jesus  Christ  assembled 
his  disciples  on  the  U'>[f  of  Mount  Olivet,  where,  raising  his 
hands,  he  blessed  {ijclu  and  then  went  a  little  apart.  They 
saw  him  ascend,  i: nt.il  a  cloud  concealed  him  from  their 
view  ;  and  quickly  there  appeared  to  them  two  angels,  wlw 
told  them  that  the  Lord  should  one  day  come  down  from 
heaven  as  they  had  seen  him  ascend.  It  is  said  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God  his  father,  to  make 
as  understand,  by  a  sensible  image  borrowed  from  human 
things,  that  he  is  raised  to  the  highest  degree  of  power  and 
glory  in  heaven,  where  he  repose^:  n^ter  all  his  labours  as  it 
*'ere  on  the  eternal  throne  of  his  empire.  When  a  king 
associates  his  son  in  his  royal  power,  he  seats  him  by  his 
side  on  the  throne,  in  order  to  show  that  he  is  to  be  regarded 
as  his  equal,  and  that  all  the  dignitaries  of  the  state  are  to 
pay  him  the  respect  and  obedience  due  to  himself. 

Now  the  Scripture  represents  God  seated  on  his  throne, 
king  of  heaven  and  earth ;  so,  when  we  say  that  Jesus 
Christ  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  it  is  to  be  understood 
that  he  being,  as  God,  equal  to  his  Father,  he  is,  as  maa< 


i 


pike  for 

i'   .lie 


TOWARDS    OOD.  67 

vy  the  greatness  or"  his  glory  and  power,  far  above  all  croa- 
Uiros,  because  that  his  snored  hunwinity  has  the  y;b)rioui 
jirivilege  of  being  united  to  the  Word. 

The  Son  o)'  (rod,  amid  all  his  glory,  occupies  liitnself 
with  us,  and  is  attentive  to  all  our  wants ;  he  fills  the  part 
(}{  a  Mediator,  ever  presenting  to  his  Father  the  wound 
which  he  received  during  his  passion,  to  propitiate  him  on 
6ehalf  of  men.  He  is  our  advocate  and  our  defender  ;  and 
tlie  voice  of  his  blood  shall  be  ever  more  powerAi'  "  i  obtaitt- 
ing  njorcy  for  us,  if  we  only  labour  to  apply  it"  %  in  our 

flouls,  than  that  of  our  crimes  in  drawing  duw  Uut 

chiistisemcnts  of  divine  justice. 

Jesus  Christ  is  in  heaven  as  our  King  and  our  mm;  -le  has 
B  supreme  dominion  over  us,  not  only  because  that  he  created 
DS  and  preserves  us  from  day  to  day,  but  also  because  of 
his  having  redeemed  us.  We  are  then  the  heritage  of  Jesus 
Christ,  his  conquest,  purchased  by  his  blood. 

Jesus  Christ  in  heaven  is  our  Pontiff;  he  exercised  that 
function  on  the  cross,  by  olfering  hi  iself  to  his  Father  as  a 
victim  of  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  he  still  exercises  it 
in  heaven  where,  seated  at  his  right  hand,  he  presents  him- 
self before  him  on  our  behalf;  and  as  his  is  an  eternal  priest- 
hood, he  can  always  save  those  who  approach  God  through 
[lis  mediation.  Having  then  for  our  high-priest  Jesus,  the 
Son  of  God,  who  ascer»ded  to  the  highest  heavena,  let  us 
present  ourselves  with  coniidenca  before  his  throne,  to  the 
end  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  secure  the  assistance  of 
his  grace  in  all  our  necessities,  for  our  Pontiff  is  not  one 
who  is  unable  to  com})assionate  our  weakness,  since  he  has 
vouchsafed  to  undergo  all  our  pains  and  trials,  though  hiiiu 
self  free  from  sin. 

F  inally,  Jesus  Christ  is  in  heaven  as  our  head,  that  is  to 
say,  he  is  the  head  of  a  body  whose  members  we  ar«. 
This  body  is  the  church,  and  Jesus  Christ  is  to  the  church 
what  the  head  is  to  the  body ;  he  imparts  to  it  life,  and 
animates  it  with  his  spirit;  every  grace,  every  good  thought, 
all  holy  desires,  and  all  good  works,  in  short  all  virtue  pro- 
ceeds from  that  fulness  which  is  in  Christ,  our  head. 

Example. — A  genlieman,  who  was  a  fervent  Christian. 


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made  the  pilgrim'^ge  of  the  Holy  Land  in  a  most  edifying 
manner.  After  having  confessed,  and  received  with  pious 
fervour  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body,  he  went  first  to 
Nazaieth,  where  the  great  mystery  of  the  lueaniatioii  was 
wrought ;  he  then  repaired  to  Bethlehem,  the  birth-place  oi 
our  Lord ;  to  the  banks  of  the  Jordan  where  Jesus  was 
baptised  by  St.  John ;  then  to  the  desert,  where  Jesus  had 
spent  forty  days  in  solitude ;  then  to  Mount  Thabor  where 
he  was  transfigured ;  to  the  supper-room,  in  Jerusalem  where 
he  instituted  the  adorable  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist ;  to 
the  garden  of  Olives ;  to  the  Pretorium,  and  to  Calvary,  the 
seeiicii,  of  his  humiliations  and  sufferings ;  to  the  place  where 
his  body  was  entombed  and  rose  from  the  dead ;  and  finally, 
to  the  top  of  Mount  Olivet,  whence,  after  blessing  his 
Apostles,  he  ascended  to  heaven  in  triumph.  In  each  of  the 
difterent  stations  which  that  faithful  Christian  made  in  honour 
of  the  mysteries  of  the  Saviour's  life,  his  heart  was  inflamed 
with  love,  which  broke  out  in  the  following  prayer — "  Oh 
Jesus !  Jesus !  my  most  amiable  Saviour !  where  should  I 
seek  thee  on  the  earth,  now  that  thou  hast  quitted  it ! — Per- 
mit  me  only  to  follow  thee  to  that  heaven  where  thou  art ! " 
Scaicely  was  the  prayer  uttered,  when  it  was  granted.  He 
expired  :  he  died  of  love  for  his  Saviour! 

Lasauss*. 

CHAPTER   Vin. 

JESUS   CHRIST  SHALL  COME    TO    JUDGE    THE    LIVIMU 
AND    THE    DEAD. 


ARTICLE   I. 

OF    DEATH. 

Thou  shalt  die !  such  was  the  sentence  pronounced  ou 
Adam  after  his  fall,  a  sentence  which  we  daily  see  carried 
into  execution.  Nothing  is  more  certain  than  our  death, 
and  nothing  more  uncertain  than  when  it  is  to  be.  We 
Bhali  all  (lie,  that  is  to  say,  we  shall  quit  this  earth  which 
we  now  inhabit,  and  enter  upon  eternity.     At  our  death  we 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


80 


mufst  leave  all,  relations,  friends,  riches,  honours,  and  em- 
ployments,  without  exception,  and  without  return.  At 
death,  too,  all  shall  leave  us,  all  but  virtue  and  vice, 

It"  the  very  thought  of  death  be  insupportable  to  the 
loveis  of  this  world,  to  the  voluptuous,  in  short  to  all  sinners, 
how  tenible  must  be  the  reality  when  it  comes ! — 0  dread- 
ful  moment,  which  discovers  to  their  view  the  nothingness  of 
those  sublunary  things  which  they  have  loved  so  much,  and 
tiie  solidity  of  that  virtue  which  they  have  known  but  to 
despise ! 

Notliing  is  more  uncertain  than  the  time  and  the  manner 
of  our  death  ;  shall  we  die  suddenly  or  of  a  lingering  disease  ? 
Shall  we  have  time  to  prepare  ourselves,  or  shall  we  be  taken 
by  surprise?  Are  we  to  die  in  a  few  days,  in  a  moment 
even,  or  shall  we  live  to  extreme  old  age?  Shall  we  die  in 
sin  or  in  the  state  of  grace  ? — Alas !  none  can  tell ;  the  only 
thing  that  is  certain  is  that  we  must  die,  and  that  in  all  pro- 
bability we  shall  die  as  we  have  lived;  men  usually  gather 
in  but  what  they  have  sowed ;  and  death  is  the  echo  of  life. 
Another  certainty  is,  that  the  destiny  of  the  dying  is  imrnu- 
taljly  fixed ;  that  death  decides  all ;  that  if  we  die  in  a  state 
of  gruee  we  shall  be  eternally  happy  ;  and  that  if  we  die  in 
mortiil  sin,  we  shall  be  everlastingly  wretched. 

Since  death  is  inevitable,  and  must  decide  our  eternal  fate, 
we  ought  to  prepare  ourselves  for  it,  and  profit  by  the  time 
which  remains  to  us.  In  this  the  stake  is  our  greatest,  nay, 
our  only  interest,  for,  says  Jesus  Christ,  "What  doth  it  [)ro- 
fit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world,  if  he  lose  his  own  soul  V* 
Alas !  will  it  aftbrd  one  any  consolation  in  the  etornnl  fur- 
nace, to  remember  that  he  was  great,  rich,  aid  powerful, 
and  made  a  lai'ge  fortune  while  here  on  earth  ?  Truly,  he 
will  then  see  the  extent  of  his  error,  and  that  virtue  was  the 
only  solid  wealth.  "  I  have  been  the  master  of  the  greatest 
wnpire  in  the  world"  said  Septimus  Severus,  when  dying, 
"I  have  been  all  that  mortal  could  be,  and  yet  nothing  re- 
mains to  me  at  the  present  moment — nothing  which  can 
avail  (ue  anything."  A  herald,  carrying  the  shroud  destined 
to  wrap  up  the  body  of  Saladin,  cried  out,  by  order  of  that 
piince  !  "  Behold  all  that  the  great  Saladin  can  bear  hence 
of  all  th?  dominions  he  has  conquered  !" 


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DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


Triffling  affairs  are  dispatched  without  much  application, 
but  those  which  are  more  important  demand  much  care  and 
attention.  As  it  is  the  mark  of  a  weak  mind  to  be  engrossed 
with  insignificant  matters,  so  also  does  it  denote  a  well- 
ordered  mind  to  employ  itself  with  those  which  are  of  greater 
moment.  If,  then,  we  should  proportion  our  care  and  ap- 
plication to  the  importance  of  the  affair  in  hand,  what  can 
be  more  important  than  to  die  wiell  ?  Is  it  too  much  for  life 
to  prepare  itself  for  death  ?  Is  it  too  much  to  employ  the 
few  years  of  life  in  preparing  for  eternity  ?  Does  a  man 
condemned  to  death  attach  any  great  value  to  the  things  ol 
the  world  ?  Such,  then,  ought  our  dispositions  to  be :  death 
pursues  us,  and  will  inevitably  strike  us  down,  perhaps  at 
the  moment  when  we  least  expect  his  coming.  Let  us, 
therefore,  make  a  daily  preparation,  since  any  day  may  be 
the  term  of  our  existence.  Let  us  not  deceive  ourselves,  or 
remain  under  any  illusion  on  a  point  so  truly  important :  let 
ss  not  put  off  till  the  last  moment,  for  perhaps  a  moment 
may  not  be  given  us  to  prepare.  "  He "  said  Augustin* 
"  who  hath  promised  pardon  to  the  repenting  sinner,  hatn 
not  promised  him  the  morrow  for  his  conversion."  It  is  then 
rashness,  nay,  even  a  crime  to  put  off  our  preparation  for 
death  till  we  are  seized  with  a  fatal  malady.  What !  at  a 
moment  when  one  is  unable  to  attend  to  even  the  most  tri- 
fling  concern,  how  can  he  acquit  himself  of  a  duty  the  most 
arduous  and  the  most  momentous — of  a  task  which  demands 
all  the  faculties  of  the  soul ! — How  c  i  man  receive  the 
Sacraments  with  fruit  when  he  scare;  ^  Knows  what  he  is 
doing  ?  How  can  he  cletir  up  the  dark  mazei  of  his  con- 
science at  a  time  when  soul  and  body  are  tortured  and 
weighed  down  with  the  pangs  and  horrors  of  death  ?  How 
can  he  prove  to  God  that  he  detests  sin,  he  who  has  so 
loved  it,  and  delivered  himself  up  to  its  dominion  as  long 
as  he  possibly  could  ?  Ah !  It  is  not  then  the  sinner  who 
quits  sin,  it  is  sin,  on  the  contrary  which  deserts  the  sin- 
ner. The  consequence  is,  that  God- almost  invariably  per- 
mits those  who  have  lived  impenitent,  to  die  in  the  same 
state.  When  the  contrary  happens,  it  is  by  a  miracle ;  God 
can  work  that  miracle,  but  it  is  a  fatal  and  damnable  pre* 
lumption  to  expect  it  while  living  on  in  a  state  of  sin. 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


91 


Examples. — A  young  French  officer,  forced  to  quit  his 
country,  retired  to  Spain,  and  touched  by  divine  grace,  he 
resolved  to  devote  the  remainder  of  his  Hfe  to  prepare  for 
his  last  end.  Full  of  that  thought,  he  presented  himself  at 
A  monastery  where  the  rule  was  said  to  be  most  austere, 
Old,  after  many  entreaties,  was  at  length  admitted.  During 
is  noviciate,  he  wrote  as  follows  to  his  sister:  "There  ia 
ot  a  beggar  in  all  Spain  who  is  not  better  fed  than  we  are, 
ind  more  comfortable  as  regards  all  the  wants  of  the  body! 
Nevertheless,  none  of  us  would  exchange  our  lot  with  that 
of  an  emperor,  being  well  aware  that  death  will  speedily 
confound  the  monarch  with  the  meanest  of  his  subjects. 
Each  individual,  in  going  hence,  bears  with  him  only  hia 
works;  and  then  how  pleasant  it  is  to  have  'sown  in  tears  ;* 
the  pain  and  the  privation  is  passed,  and  the  joy  which 
then  commencesshalUast  throughout  eternity."  Five  montha 
after  his  profession,  he  was  attacked  with  a  dropsy,  which 
after  four  months  of  tedious  suffering  carried  him  to  the 
gi-ave.  As  he  lay  on  his  straw  and  ashes,  he  took  the  hand 
of  the  Father  Abbot  with  an  expression  of  gratitude  which 
sensibly  affected  the  whole  community.  "  How  great  is  my 
happiness!"  he  exclaimed,  "you  have  opened  to  me  the 
gates  of  heaven  by  a  Emitting  me  into  your  house ! — oh!  how 
happy  I  ani  in  that  I  have  endeavoured  to  prepare  for  death ! 
how  sweet  it  is  to  die  when  one  firmly  hopes  to  pass  from 
earth  to  heaven ! — Oh !  thrice  blessed  are  they  who  take  due 
note  of  these  words,  "  What  doth  it  profit  a  man  to  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ? " 

What  can  the  just  man  regret  at  his  death  ?  The  good's 
ot  the  eailh  ?  His  heart  has  been  ever  detached  from  theiii. 
His  parents,  his  friends? — He  knows  that  he  does  not  los* 
them  for  ever.  We  shall  meet  agaiuy  said  a  young  lady  of 
Lyons  to  her  sorrowing  relations,  when  after  having  long 
suffered  the  most  cruel  pains,  she  was  at  length  at  the  point 
of  death.  We  shall  meet  again,  said  she,  and  she  died  pro- 
nouncing those  words.  A  superb  monument  was  raised  to 
her  memory,  whereon  she  is  represented  in  a  sitting  posture 
writing  on  a  pillar :  We  shall  meet  again  ! 

A  child,  having  but  a  few  moments  to  live,  and  seeing 


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DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


his  mother  weeping,  said  to  her :  "  Have  you  not  often  told 
me  that  in  order  to  see  God,  we  must  die  V  Yet  he  wat 
Bcai'cely  seven  years  old  ! 


ARTICLE    II. 


OF   JUDGMENT. 


"It  is  appointed"  says  St.  Paul,  "for  all  men  once  to 
die,  and  after  death  judgment." 

The  immortality  of  the  sou'  necessarily  supposes  a  judg- 
'Heut  which  is  to  decide  its  eternal  fate ;  for  assuredly  the  just 
and  the  godless  man  cannot  have  one  and  the  same  destiny. 
Faitli  teaches  us  that  there  shall  be  even  two  judgments,  the 
private  or  particular,  and  the  general  judgments.  The  par- 
ticular  judgment  is  that  which  every  soul  must  undergo  im- 
mediately after  death,  regarding  the  evil  which  it  has. com- 
mitted, and  the  good  which  it  should  have  practised  but  did 
not.  This  judgment  will  fix  its  doom  for  all  eternity.  Im- 
mediately after  this  particular  judgment,  those  souls  which 
are  only  found  guilty  of  trifling  faults  shall  be  sent  to  pur. 
gatory,  in  order  to  have  their  sins  washed  away  before  they 
can  enter  heaven ;  those  who  are  free  from  all  sin  are  in- 
stantly admitted  into  heaven ;  while  such  as  are  stained  with 
any  mortal  sin  are  cast  into  hellj  awaiting  the  general  resur- 
rection which  shall  take  place  at  the  end  of  the  world. 

Tben  shall  be  the  general  judgment,  wherein  the  sentence 
already'  pronounced  in  the  particular  judgment  shall  be  pub- 
lished and  confirmed.  The  general  judgment  shall  be  pre- 
ceded by  fearful  signs,  which  Our  Lord  himself  has  described 
in  the  Gospel.  There  shall  be  wars,  famines,  plagues  and 
earthquakes ;  the  sun  and  the  moon  shall  be  darkened ;  the 
(Btars  shall  seem  to  fall  from  the  firmament ;  the  waves  of 
the  ssea  shall  be  agitated  so  as  to  make  a  terrific  noise ;  and 
men  shall  wither  away  with  fear  of  what  is  to  come  upon 
the  earth.  Then  the  final  moment  being  arrived,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  the  dead  shall  arise  at  the  sound  of  the 
last  trumpet.  The  sign  of  the  Son  of  man.  that  is  to  say,  a 
iuniinuus  cross  shall  appear  in  the  air,  and  Jesus  CJirist  shall 
Hsibly  descend  from  heaven,  with  great  power  and  majesty, 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


«» 


to  reri'lcr  to  ovory  on?  according  to  his  works.  Tk'  ^IkiU 
be  uttotulod  by  Angels,  who  shnll  separate  the  good  IVora 
the  wicked.  Ah !  how  terrible  will  that  separation  bo,  and 
how  different  will  be  the  fate  of  those  separated  !  'I'he 
just  shall  be  placed  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Supreme  Judge, 
and  the  wicked  at  his  left.  Then  shall  every  conscience  be 
laid  open  before  the  whole  world,  so  that  even  that  which 
had  been  most  secret  and  most  carefully  concealed  in  the 
depths  of  the  soul  shall  be  draM'n  forth  and  revealed. 

The  righteous  man,  despised  and  trampled  on  in  this 
world,  shall  then  appear  adorned  with  the  lustre  of  those 
good  wo'ks  which  he  had  concealed  from  the  eyes  of  men ; 
and  the  sinner  shall  be  overwhelmed  with  confusion  to  see 
thus  pul)licly  manifested  the  vices  and  crimes  which  he  had 
80  carefully  hidden.  Then  shall  vice  appear  as  it  really  is, 
in  all  its  native  deformity,  and  covered  with  its  proper  in- 
famy. At  that  moment  how  inexpressibly  happy  shall  he  be 
who  has  turned  a  deaf  ear  in  this  life  to  the  seducing  dis- 
course of  the  wicked,  and  resisted  the  contagion  of  bad  ex- 
ample !  How  well  he  shall  be  repaid  for  the  combats  ho 
here  sustained,  and  the  raillery  which  he  endured  for  hia 
faith  !  But  how  great,  on  the  other  hand  shall  be  the  des- 
pair of  the  libertinei  when  he  sees  revealed  before  heaven  and 
earth,  the  crimes  which  he  committed  under  cover  of  the 
silent  night,  and  when  he  beholds  those  whom  he  had 
mocked  and  ridiculed  placed  amongst  the  Saints — the 
children  of  God!  With  what  detestation  will  he  then 
regard  that  vice  which  before  appeared  so  sweet  and  so 
seducing ! 

But  that  is  only  the  array,  and  the  prelude  of  the  judg- 
ment :  what  impression  will  be  then  made  on  our  minds  by 
the  actual  sentence  of  the  Sovereign  Judge  ! — All  being  pro- 
foundly silent,  the  Son  of  God  shall  address  to  those  on 
his  right  hand  these  consoling  words:  "  Come!  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father! — come  and  possess  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  beginning  of  the  world!"  Then  shall  He 
turn  to  the  reprobates,  and  thunder  forth  their  sentence ; 
"Depart  from  n^e,  ye  cursed! — into  everlasting  fire  !"  No 
sooner  shall  the  final  word  be  given,  than  the  jur>t  shall  go 
to  reign  with  God  for  all  eternity,  and  the  wicked  shall  be 


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DUTY  OP  THE  CHBIBTIAN 


precipiliatcd  into  hell,  there  to  burn  for  ever  and  ever,  \vith. 
out  the  slightest  hope  of  ever  repairing  the  fatal  error  of  their 
mortal  lives.  Let  us  now  anticipate  that  tremendous  judg. 
nient,  and  profit  by  the  advice  which  Our  Lord  gives  us  in 
the  Gospel:  "Beware,"  said  He,  "lest  your  hearts  sink 
within  you,  and  that  the  day  may  take  you  by  surprise,  for  it 
ihall surround,  even  as  a  net,  all  who  dwell  upon  the  earth! 
V^'atch,  therefore,  and  pray,  to  the  end  that  you  may  escape 
die  wrath  to  come,  and  appear  with  confidence  before  the 
Bon  of  man ! " 

Example. — A  certain  libertine,  who  had  unhappily  given 
aimself  up  to  every  vice,  had  been  brought  up,  nevertheless, 
Jti  religious  principles,  a  virtuous  mother  having  taken  pains 
to  form  and  foster  them  in  his  mind.  Thanks  to  the  Chris- 
tian education  which  he  had  received,  although  he  had  lorf 
til  purity  and  all  sense  of  virtue,  yet  he  had  not  lost  his 
Faith.  One  night,  after  having  spent  the  day  in  the  excess 
of  wickedness,  he  had  a  dream,  in  which  he  seemed  to  stand 
oefore  the  judgment-seat  of  God.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to 
conceive  how  great  was  his  confusion,  fear,  and  terror.  He 
ttwoke  in  a  high  fever,  covered  with  sweat,  and  out  of  his 
eenses.  "  Let  me  alone !"  said  he  to  those  who  first  spoke 
W)  him,  "  Let  me  alone ! — I  have  seen  the  Judge ! — Pardon, 
ah  my  God!"  His  debauched  companions,  hearing  that  he 
was  sick,  and  in  despair,  came  to  see  and  console  him. 
"  Away !"  he  cried,  "ye  are  not  my  friends;  I  will  not  see 
you  any  more ;  I  have  seen  my  Judge.  What  severe  majesty 
ehone  on  his  countenance ! — And  oh !  how  many  accusa- 
tions, hov  many  questions  which  I  could  not  answer! — All 
my  sins  ure  written  down,  and  I  have  read  them.  Ah !  how 
numerous  they  are,  and  how  enormous !  What  legions  of 
devils  awaited  but  the  signal  to  carry  me  oflE*! — I  shudder, 
tnd  w  ill  long  shudder  at  the  remembrance.  Away,  ye  false 
friends, — away  forever :  how  happy  I  shall  esteem  myself 
If  I  can  only  appease  my  terrible  Judge  by  the  most  rigorous 
penance !  Alas !  I  shall  soon  appear  in  reality  before  his 
awful  tribunal — perhaps  this  veiy  day.  Pardon,  oh  my 
God ! — I  shall  never  cease  to  cry  •  Pardon  me ! — have  mercy 
«Mi  me! — oh  do  not  destroy  me,  but  have  mercy  on  me!'" 


It  is 

has  en 
redeem 
UoIyC 
We 

there  ie 
Ghost ; 
Son,  ar 
Tims  tl 
he  is  et 
perfecti 
and  the 
of  the  S 
die  sam 
pay  hin 
follows 
jointly  \ 
all  our  f 
and  to  t 
This 
Whit-Si 
thus  wit 
to  seal  i 
parted  t( 
for  the 
nations. 
To  th 
cation  o 
it  is  he 
purifies  { 
us  that  { 
tlie  body 
with  the 


•*.  iirn- 


v.. 


TOWARDS   OOD. 

CHAPTER    IX. 

I    BELIEVE    IN   THE    HOLY    OHOST. 


06 


It  is  not  iiufficient  to  believe  in  the  Father  Almiglity,  who 
has  created  us;  and  it.  Jesus  Christ,  his  only  Son,  wlio  has 
redeemed  us,  if  we  do  not  at  the  same  time  believe  in  the 
Holy  Ghost  by  whom  we  are  sanctified. 

VVe  ought,  therefore,  to  believe  with  a  firm  faith  that 
there  is  in  the  Godhead  a  third  person,  which  is  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  that  third  person  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  tli« 
Son,  and  has  the  same  divinity  as  the  two  other  persons. 
Tims  the  Holy  (ihost  is  equal  to  the  Father  and  the  Son ; 
he  is  eternal,  almighty,  infinite,  as  they  are ;  he  has  the  same 
perfection^,  and  in  a  word,  is  the  same  God  as  the  Father 
and  the  Son.  It  is  in  his  name,  as  in  that  of  the  Father  and 
of  the  Son  that  we  have  been  baptized ;  hence,  as  he  is  of 
the  same  Godhead  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  we  are  to 
pay  him  the  same  homage  and  adoration.  From  this  it 
follows  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  adored  and  glorified  con- 
jointly with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  that  we  conclude 
all  our  prayers  with  these  words :  "  Glory  be  to  the  Father, 
and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost !" 

This  same  Holy  Spirit  descended  on  the  Apostles  on 
Whit-Sunday,  in  the  form  of  tongues  of  fire,  filling  them 
thus  with  courage  and  strength  to  preach  tlie  Gospel,  and 
Jo  seal  its  truth  by  the  effusion  of  their  blood.  He  also  im- 
parted to  them  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  the  graces  /'cessary 
for  the  establishment  of  the  Church  and  the  conver  ion  of 
nations. 

To  the  Holy  Ghost  is  particularly  attributed  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  men,  because  that  he  is  a  spirit  of  love,  and  that 
it  is  he  who  diflTuses  through  our  souls  that  charity  which 
purifies  them.  It  is,  then,  the  Holy  Ghost  who  imparts  to 
us  that  grace,  which  is  the  life  of  the  soul,  as  the  soul  is  of 
the  body :  the  soul  has  no  life  but  in  as  much  as  it  is  united 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  is  inhabited  and  animated  by 
grace :  neither  has  it  any  tendency  towards  God  but  through 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  it  can  do  nothing 
available  for  its  salvation  but  through  his  impulse  and  in 
Bpiiation. 


i.? 


I  ■  1  ■ 


<',,W       n'      f  ,     ^    .  It 

.   ■ .  '  'Ai'  *■  "'I 


X 


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,  .1  •  ■•■■>• 


ill 


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'■'rir: 


WMi 


illF?^ 


i 


96 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRI8TIAW 


'Hie  Holy  Ghost  is  called  in  Scripture  the  Spirit  of  Truth, 
which  menus,  that  he  is  the  source  of  all  truth,  and  the  tnas. 
ter  bv  whom  it  is  taught.  He  it  was  who  in  ji  momoiit  filled 
the  Apostles  with  intelligence  and  understanding,  and  com* 
municated  to  them  the  most  sublime  knowledge.  It  waa 
He,  too,  who  spake  through  the  Prophets  and  Evangelists, 
It  is  he,  moreover,  who  still  instructs  our  minds,  and  dissi. 
pates  by  his  divine  light  the  darkness  of  our  ignorance ;  he 
points  out  to  us  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven,  and  gives  ua 
strength  to  walk  therein.  "  Thy  Holy  Spirit"  says  the  pro. 
phet,  "  shall  conduct  me  in  the  right  way,  the  end  of  which 
is  salvation."  The  Holy  Ghost  speaks  to  us  internally,  to 
turn  us  away  from  evil,  and  inspire  us  to  do  good.  Thua 
it  is  the  Holy  Ghost  that  we  resist  when  we  cast  off  the 
thoughts  which  would  turn  us  from  sin,  and  lead  us  to  the 
practice  of  virtue. 

Example. — Simon  the  magician  was  early  addicted  to 
tlie  practice  of  magic.  His  enchantments  and  illusions  wer« 
so  powerful  that  his  followers  called  him  the  Virtue  of  God, 
But  when  St.  Peter  and  St.  John  went  into  Samaria  in  order 
to  impose  hands  on  the  newly-baptized  who  had  been  con- 
verted by  the  preaching  and  the  numerous  miracles  of  St. 
Phillip,  one  of  the  seven  deacons,  Simon  believed  in  Jesuii 
Christ  and  was  baptized.  Nevertheless,  beholding  the  pro- 
digies operated  on  those  who  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  he 
dared  to  aspire  to  the  power  of  imposing  hands,  and  to  turn 
to  his  own  glory  the  wonders  which  he  hoped  to  perform  in 
imitation  of  the  Apostles.  With  this  iutestii^^sfa  y  ; "'  ijd 
them  money  and  said :  "  Give  me  the  power  mat  ye  your- 
selves have,  to  the  end  that  I  also  may  be  able  to  impart 
the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  imposition  of  hands."  But  Peter 
said  to  him :  "  Let  thy  money  perish  with  thee,  because  thou 
hast  believed  that  the  gift  of  God  may  be  bought:  go,  and  do 
penance !"  Very  far  from  obeying,  Simon  turned  himself 
again  to  magic,  got  entangled  in  every  vicious  pursuit,  and 
became  the  secret  enemy  of  the  Apostles.  After  having  in- 
fected all  Samaria  with  the  most  extravagant  errors,  he  came 
to  Rome ;  and  seeking  to  persuade  the  emperor  Nero  that 
he  was  God,  he  promised  to  ascend  into  heaven  before  the 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


07 


whole  inultiiado.  All  the  people  assembled  to  hehoUl  such 
a  wondrous  sight,  and  Simon  did  ac  ually  ascend  from  the 
eartii,  or  rather  he  was  carried  aloft  l>y  the  devil ;  but  St, 
Peter  began  to  pray,  and  God  hoard  his  prayer.  'J'he  demon 
ceased  to  sustain  the  magician;  he  fell  suddenly  to  the 
ffrouiid,  all  bruised  and  mangled,  and*  instantly  expired. 
From  this  Simon  comes  Jie  word  Simony,  that  is  to  say  the 
detestable  sin  of  those  who  would  buy  or  sell  the  gifts  and 
(graces  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Lasauhhs. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE    ESTABLISHMENT    OF   THE    CHURCH. 


ARTICLE    I. 

I   BELIEVE    IN   THE    HOLY -CATHOLIC    CHURCH. 

There  was  always  a  Church,  even  from  the  very  begin 
ning  of  the  world,  that  is  to  say,  that  there  were  always  mei- 
who,  making  profession  of  believing  in  God,  of  adoring  and 
serving  him,  expected  the  Messiah,  and  hoped  for  salvation 
through  his  merits,  according  to  the  oracle  of  the  prophecies. 
Nevertheless,  the  adorers  of  the  true  God  did  not  always 
form  one  society,  united  by  visible  and  external  bonds :  be 
fore  Christ,  the  Jews  alone,  as  the  chosen  people,  had  a 
common  law  and  common  practices  of  religion.  But  Jesus 
Christ,  coming  into  the  world  to  save  all  men,  gave  unto 
them  new  means  of  salvation ;  it  was  his  pleasure  to  gather 
them  into  one  body,  and  to  give  to  them  a  new  Law,  which 
is  the  Law  of  grace. 

The  Apostles,  having  received  the  Holy  Ghost  went  forth 
from  the  house  wherein  they  had  been  assembled,  and  announ- 
ced the  resurrection  of  Christ  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem. 
Three  thousand  Jews  were  converted  by  St.  Peter's  first 
preaching,  and  five  thousand  when  he  preached  a  second  time* 
The  number  of  the  faithful  increased  every  day,  and  those 
new  converts,  regenerated  by  Baptism  and  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  displayed  to  the  world  the  rarest  example  of 
pure  and  perfect  v'rtue.    The  Apostles  afterwards  preached 


I 

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9B  DUTY    OF   TUB    CnKlSTIAN 

the  word  of  God  with  the  same  success  throughout  all 
JudoR,  Galilee,  and  Samaria ;  thence  they  passed  into  Syria 
and  the  provinces  of  Asia  Minor,  into  Macedonia,  (ireece, 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  then  known  world,  announcing 
the  Gospel,  that  is  to  say,  the  glad  tidings  of  redemption  to 
all  men. 

Meanwhile,  the  Jews  ohstinately  resisted  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel,  and  furiously  persecuted  the  disciples  of  Jesua 
Christ  The  Pagans,  on  the  other  hand,  opposed  its  estub 
lishment  with  all  their  might.  All  that  was  great  and  pow- 
erful  amongst  thom,  declared  at  once  against  the  new  reli- 
gion ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  fury  of  the  Jews,  the  oppo- 
sition of  earth*s  potentates,  and  the  general  corruption  of 
mankind,  so  long  blindly  devoted  to  a  religion  entirely  sensual, 
the  Apostles  founded  the  Church  of  Christ  in  every  country 
and  in  every  clime.  Their  zeal  vvas  caught  up  and  imitated  by 
those  whom  they  had  chosen  to  succeed  them  in  the  minis- 
try, and  so  was  the  precious  deposit  of  Faith  transmitted 
from  one  generation  to  another,  even  till  it  has  reached  our» 
selves  in  all  its  original  purity  and  brightness. 

In  order  to  form  an  idea  of  the  marvellous  establishment 
of  Christianity,  let  us  picture  to  ourselves  twelve  men  chosen 
from  the  very  dregs  of  society,  without  wealth,  without 
learning,  without  human  support,  and  to  whom  their  master 
had  even  promised  nothing  in  this  world  but  persecution, 
torment,  and  death :  such  were  the  Apostles.  Can  it  be 
supposed  that  twelve  such  men  would  have  dared  to  under- 
take the  conversion  of  the  whole  world  had  they  not  been 
animated  by  the  spirit  of  God  ?  How  could  they  have  set 
about  converting  the  nations,  Greeks  and  Romans,  Jews 
and  Pagans,  and  that  too,  by  proposing  for  their  accept- 
ance mysteries  the  most  incomprehensible,  and  a  code  of 
morality  the  most  severe  that  could  be  devised  ? 

Nevertheless,  these  twelve  men,  destitute  as  they  were 
of  human  aid,  having  no  other  arms  than  the  cross,  no  other 
weapon  than  the  word,  nor  other  defence  than  invincible 
patience,  these  men  not  only  conceived  such  a  design  but 
carried  it  into  execution:  they  preached  a  doctrine  which 
captivates  the  mind  while  it  restrains  the  heart ;  they  preach* 
«d  it  in  the  very  heart  of  the  Roman  empire,  in  cities  the 


TOWARDS  OOD. 


90 


most  populous,  the  most  wealthy,  the  most  learned,  and  the 
nioHt  voluptuous;  in  Antioch,  in  Alexandria,  in  Kphesus,  in 
Corinth,  in  Athens,  and  even  in  llonio.  Ths  world  started 
up  ill  opposition  to  the  new  doctrines,  and  every  thing  was 
done  to  stitHe  Christianity  in  its  very  cradle,  and  put  a  stop 
to  its  farther  progress  :  confiscations,  banishment,  imprison- 
ment, torments ;  all  were  resorted  to,  and  yet  Christianity  was 
every  where  established  by  persuasion  alone,  in  despite  of 
all  the  adverse  efforts  of  human  power,  and  of  human 
wisdom,  aided  by  the  passions,  interest,  policy,  and  the  most 
outrageous  violence. 

To  give  up  a  religion  which  prescribes  painful  and  irk- 
some practices,  which  prohibits  every  vice,  and  to  embrace 
one  more  tolerant  to  the  senses,  one  which  permits  men  to 
give  a  free  course  to  their  passions,  this  is  a  thing  easy  to 
understand  ;  but  to  forsake  a  religion  which  fosters  the  pas- 
sions, and  embrace  the  cross  and  a  life  of  penance,  thereby 
exposing  one's  self,  moreover,  to  the  loss  of  all  worldly 
goods  and  even  life  itself,  this  is  what  persuasion  and  con- 
viction could  only  effect,  and  it  is  precisely  what  was  every 
where  seen,  in  the  establishment  of  Christianity.  When  all 
this  is  considered,  how  can  we  forbear  from  saying :  The 
dnger  of  God  is  there  !  For,  in  short,  the  Apostles  have 
either  worked  miracles  in  order  to  convince  the  nations  of 
the  truth  of  what  they  taught,  or  they  converted  them  with- 
out the  testimony  of  miracles.  If  they  wrought  miracles, 
then  it  was  God  himself  who  presided  over  their  enterprise ; 
if,  on  the  contrary,  they  succeeded  in  convincing  the  whole 
world  without  miracles,  the  proof  of  their  divine  mission 
would  be  just  as  strong,  since  it  is  only  Omnipotence  itself 
which  could  produce  that  simultaneous  conviction,  amid  all 
the  host  of  obstacles  which  stood  opposed  thereto.  The  con- 
version of  the  world,  if  operated  without  miracles,  would 
be  in  itself  the  greatest  of  miracles. 

Example. — St.  Simplician,  who  had  been  as  a  father  to 
St  Ambrose,  had  the  same  affection  for  Victorinus  of  whom 
we  are  about  to  speak. 

Victorinus  a  celebrated  orator,  had  been  professor  of 
Rhetoric  at  Rome ;  he  had  passed  his  life  in  the  study  of  the 


•■   '".."    I      ;'l 


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J;i .  '■■.'J   -  ' 


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■|i>,»: 


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1.,;.    if.    .     ■      #1.   ; 

J  •.  ■<• '  it"  ■.'1 1* 


|li\'    /*<■  ;  I''  till" 


100 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAN 


liberal  sciences,  and  had  attained  a  great  proficiency  in  al! 
of  them.  He  had  read,  examined,  and  explaired  almost  all 
the  writings  of  the  ancient  philosophers,  and  had  had  the 
honour  of  instructing  all  the  most  distinguished  of  the  Ro- 
man senators.  He  had,  in  fine,  followed  his  profession  so 
successfully,  that  a  statue  had  been  erected  to  his  honour  in 

public  square  of  Rome,  a  distinction  then  considered  the 
highest  that  man  could  attain.  Yet  he  was  still  a  pagan,  an 
adorer  of  idols :  and  not  only  that,  but  he  employed  all  hia 
eloquence  in  persuading  others  to  adore  them  as  he  did. 

What  extraordinary  grace  did  it  require  to  touch  and  con- 
vert such  a  heart ! — Behold  the  means  which  God  employed 
in  doing  so.  Victorinus  began  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
ajid  having  for  some  time  applied  himself  to  that  study,  to- 
gether with  other  books  explanatory  of  the  Christian 
Religion,  he  said  one  day  to  St.  Simplician  :  "  I  have  some- 
thing to  tell  you  which  will  interest  you  very  much :  I  am 
a  Christian." — "  I  do  not  believe  a  word  of  it,"  replied  the 
Saint,  "  nor  shall  I  believe  you,  until  I  see  you  in  th« 
church  where  the  faithful  are  wont  to  assemble." — "  Whai 
tlien,"  exclaimed  Victorinus,  "  is  it  only  within  the  inclosurc 
of  four  walls  that  one  is  a  Christian  ?"  so  it  went  on  for 
some  time,  as  often  as  Victorinus  protested  that  he  was  a 
Christian,  Simplician  made  him  the  same  reply,  and  the  other 
tlways  put  it  off  with  a  laugh  and  a  jest. 

The  truth  was,  that  he  feared  to  exasperate  his  pagan 
friends,  as  their  anger  and  opposition  would  be  sure  to  crush 
him,  if  once  called  forth,  and  this  risk  he  could  not  bring 
himself  to  incur.  But  after  a  time  courage  and  generosity 
were  given  him  from  above  because  of  his  close  application 
to  the  study  of  religion,  and  the  docility  with  which  he 
opened  his  heart  to  its  truths,  and  he  became  convinced  that 
it  would  be  an  enormous  crime  to  blush  for  believing  the 
mysteries  of  Jesus  Christ,  while  appearing  to  glory  in  the 
Bacriligious  superstitions  of  paganism.  No  sooner  did  he 
obtain  this  conviction  than  he  hastened  to  tell  St.  Simplician 
at  a  time,  too,  when  that  holy  man  was  least  expecting  hinj 
"  Let  us  go  to  the  church,"  said  he,  "  I  am  resolved  to  shot 
myself  a  Christian,  nor  content  myself  longer  with  being  one 
hi  heart."  Simplician,  transported  with  joy,  immediately  tooH 


W 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


101 


him  to  thft  chuich,  ana  had  his  name  entered  on  the  list  of 
those  who  demanded  Baptism.  All  the  city  of  Rome  was 
struck  with  admiration  and  astonishment ;  and  the  hearts  of 
the  tiiiliii'ul  were  filled  with  joy,  because  of  the  celebrity  and 
high  reputation  of  that  great  man. 

At  length  the  happy  day  arrived  when  he  was  to  make  his 
professioi:  of  faith,  in  order  to  be  baptised.     It  was  then  the 
custom  in  the  Roman  church  to  make  this  profession  in  a 
regular  formula  of  words  which  the  chatecumen  learned  by 
heart,  and  pronounced  aloud  before  all  the  people.     The 
priests,  through  respect,  would  have  waived  this  custom,  and 
perrniUed  Victorinus  to  make  his  profession  in  private,  a 
piivilege  which  was  sometimes  granted  to  timid  persons ;  but 
Victorinus  declined,  declaring  that  he  would  proclaim  aloud, 
in  presence  of  the  whole  assembly,  his  belief  in  those  doc- 
trines which  were  to  guide  him  to  endless  happiness.     No 
sooner  had  he  appeared  in  the  tribune  than  a  sudden  tran- 
sport of  joy  seized  all  hearts,  and  his  name  was  echoed  aloud 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  although  each  one  restrained  his 
joyful  emotion  through  respect  for  the  sanctity  of  the  place 
and  the  Sacrament  about  to  be  administered,  yet  all  around 
was  heard  the  murmered  exclamation  :  It  is  Victorinus  !  It 
is  Victorinus  ! — But  every  sound  was  speedily  hushed,   in 
order  to  permit  him  to  speak  ;  whereupon,  he  with  holy  fer- 
vour, repeated  in  a  clear,  distinct  voice,  his  belief  in  the  truths 
which  form  the  basis  of  our  faith.   Willingly  would  the  people 
have  taken  him  and  carried  him  around  in  triumph,  for  every 
heart  overflowed  with  the  joy  of  beholding  him  a  Christian. 
This  splendid  conversion  had  great  consequences,  and  when 
St.  Augustin  was  informed  of  it  by  St.  Simplician,  he  ao- 
knowledged  that  he  felt  strongly  moved  to  follow  the  exam- 
ple of  Victorinus ;  this  intention  he  soon  after  carried  into 
execution,  under  the  ministry  of  St.  Ambrose,  to  whom  vSt. 
Simplician  had  been  a  father  fi-om  his  baptism.     (  Taken  from 
Oie  Confessions  of  St.  Augustin,  book,  viii.) 

We  should  learn  from  this  example,  1st,  not  to  delay  in 
answering  to  the  divine  grace  when  it  calls  us,  lest  it  may 
Oe  entirely  withdrawn  ; 

2nd,  To  repair,  by  some  heroic  action,  our  un faith fulneai 
and  resistance  to  the  graces  we  may  have  received  ; 


n* 


'.,.■  ■-r..;A.>'iV'.-i''.'l 


*■■■■"•  ■     V'  V  f  !   f:J^ 


•  ,.  \x.''     "•T.  J 


A 


Wi 


;'.■       ■■■■  ■  <"'.;'  'f 
i.;  .<;<■■  ■■■  ,  •  ■  .1 


\A^ 


'in"    ■       •*  '  tiiU*. 


1  •":*)»■ 


102 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


3rd,  To  remain  so  much  the  more  fai^nful  to  its  dictatef, 
that  we  have  been  long  resisting  its  inspirations. 


ARTICLE    II. 

Tlie  establishment  of  the  Christian  Church,  {continued.) 

CONSTANCY    OP   THE    MARTYRS. 

The  persecution  against  the  church  of  Christ  did  not  end 
with  the  life  of  the  Apostles ;  /or  a  period  of  not  less  than 
three  hundred  years  the  powers  of  the  earth  continued  to  make 
war  against  it  During  that  time  there  are  on  record  ten 
persecutions  following  the  edicts  of  the  Roman  emperors,  and 
it  is  matter  of  history  that  while  those  persecutions  lasted, 
several  millions  of  Christians  of  every  rank,  sex  and  age. 
Buffered  torments  and  death,  in  testimony  of  their  Faith. 
The  most  fearful  torments  were  invented  purposely  for  them ; 
they  stretched  them  on  the  rack  by  means  of  cords  fastened 
to  their  feet  and  hands ;  they  hung  them  up  by  the  hands 
with  weights  attached  to  their  feet,  and  in  that  condition, 
whipped  them  with  rods  or  lashes  pointed  with  iron  until  the 
ribs  and  bowels  were  laid  open.  When  the  martyrs  survived 
these  tortures,  salt  and  vinegar  were  oast  on  their  wounds, 
in  order  to  make  them  still  more  painful ;  and  at  other  times, 
the  wounds  were  torn  open  again,  after  they  had  commenced 
to  heal.  The  very  prisons  became  a  new  species  of  torment 
for  the  Christians,  the  most  infectious  and  unwholesome  be- 
ing reserved  for  them;  into  these  dungeons  they  were 
thrown  naked  and  lacerated  all  over  with  the  blows  and  inju- 
ries they  had  received,  with  their  feet  shackled,  and  being  made 
to  lie  down  on  the  broken  stones  with  which  their  tormentors 
haH  had  the  barbarity  to  strew  the  floors  of  the  cells.  Some- 
times they  were  left  to  die  of  hunger,  and  if  they  did  give  thera 
food,  it  was  to  keep  them  alive  for  new  torments.  They 
were  generally  forbidden  to  hold  converse  with  any  one,  be- 
cause it  was  a  well-known  fact,  that  even  in  the  midst  of 
their  sufferings  they  were  wont  to  convert  many  infidels, 
even  to  the  gaolers  and  the  soldiers  who  guarded  them.  The 
concluding  punishment  was  either  to  be  beheaded,  or  burned 


crown 
a  red-h( 
the  oth( 
frame, 
torment 
invincib 
and  dea 
mind  su 
natural 
.^nd  hen 
with  th 
ft  have 
against 
brought 
Its  enen 
tended 
tions,  th 
tyrs  wai 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


105 


lilive,  to  be  c?  om  a  high  rock  into  tho  sea,  or  to  be  given 
to  the  wild  bea  b  for  prey.  Yet  did  the  martyrs  continue 
firm  and  unshaken  amid  their  long  and  cruel  sufferings  ;  tho 
very  torments  they  endured  seeming  to  give  them  fresh 
courage. 

Neither  was  it  men  only,  who  displayed  such  admirable 
onstancy :  for  delicate  females  and  even  children  did  as 
much :  so  powerful  was  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
In  fortifying  their  hearts  and  souls. 

We  find  in  Ecclesiastical  History,  examples  of  courage 
and  of  fortitude,  which  are,  not  only  above  human  strength, 
but  beyond  all  admiration.  It  is  impossible  to  read  without 
astonishment  the  account  of  the  suffjgpngs  of  the  martyra 
of  Lyons  and  of  Vienna,  under  the  Emperor  Marcus  Aure- 
lius ;  just  as  marvellous,  is  what  the  historian  Eusebius  re- 
lates of  the  martyrs  of  Palestine,  and  what  Sozomenes  tells 
of  those  of  Persia  ;  these  latter  accounts  are  found  in  the 
original  acts  of  the  African  martyrs,  &c.  All  these  gener- 
ous champions  endured,  with  the  most  unshaken  patience 
tortures,  the  bare  recital  of  which  makes  one  shudder :  some 
even  suffered  with  joy,  and  went  of  their  own  free  w'Jl  to 
the  torture,  fearful  that  they  might  be  spared,  and  lose  the 
crown  of  martyrdom.  St.  Lawrence,  when  stretched  over 
a  red-hot  furnace,  desired  his  executioners  to  turn  him  on 
the  other  side,  wishing  that  the  fire  might  catch  his  whole 
frame.  What  language  in  the  midst  of  the  most  fearful 
torments  !  Whence  did  those  Christian  heroes  obtain  that 
mvincible  courage  which  enabled  them  to  brave  torments 
and  death  ?  Who  was  it  that  gave  them  that  strength  of 
mind  superior  to  all  that  tyrants  could  devise  ?  Truly,  their 
natural  weakness  must  have  been  sustained  frcm  above, 
.md  hence  that  religion,  which  they  sealed  and  cemented 
with  their  blood,  is  indeed  a  divine  religion.  Never  could 
ft  have  subsisted,  had  not  an  Almighty  hand  held  it  up 
against  attacks  so  multiplied  and  so  violent.  But  God 
brought  it  triumphantly  forth  from  the  furious  assaults  of 
its  enemies ;  all  their  efforts,  meant  to  effect  its  destruction, 
tended  but  to  secure  it ;  the  more  cruel  were  the  persecu- 
tions, the  more  did  the  foith  progress  :  the  blood  of  the  mar- 
tyrs was  as  H  fruitful  seed  bringing  forth  now  Christians,  so 


V  "-■""^^}  .»■»./« 'vi 

■••■:>■'•.■  ftf:,.'     ■■■^ 
■f  ■'  ■,'■■  \}.i>  !■ 


,;■,  ■•■  .••,.  fit  ,■    ■■...J'!^| 

^;;;>^.■r.i^^;|J>^.•! 


t  '„ 


.  I 


,^^..r,.. 


!•<• 


/  ;*- 


>''is'-  ■.'■A'   9' :••}'. 


•  *»*„■*■:■ 


'.1.!'' 


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% 


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m- 


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>! 


'■•■■  ■•■  ■  . 


;  r 


'.!'*•  ij  ■•4.  „ ,   . 


f 


W.      '1'- 


I . ..  ■  J  »»■ : 


t    '■''t,"'  ■ 


'T^% 


'^h.:''. 


IP.  'il-     O  '^-^ 


104 


DUTY    OF   THK    CHRISTIAN 


that  the  whole  world,  after  having  furiously  persecuted  the 
disoules  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  obliged  to  exclaim:  "  How 
great  is  the  God  of  the  Christians  I"  and  then  it  embraced 
the  faith  for  professing  which,  it  had  slain  the  martyrs ! 

Example. — The  Emperor  Valens,  who  was  an  Arian, 
{irohibited  the  Catholics  of  Edessa,  where  he  then  was,  from 
making  any  public  display  of  th^ir  religion,  under  pain  of 
death.  Far  from  obeying  this  command,  the  Catholics  as- 
eembled  as  usual  in  their  accustomed  place.  The  Emperor 
being  informed  of  this,  ordered  the  prefect  to  go  on  the 
morrow,  with  a  company  of  soldiers,  to  their  place  of  as* 
eembly,  and  put  th^  all  to  the  sword.  The  prelect  re  • 
ceived  the  order  with  horror,  for  he  was  not  a  cruel  man ; 
and  he  secretly  apprised  the  Catholics  of  the  order  given 
him,  which  he  dared  neither  put  off  nor  evade.  Instead  of 
keeping  them  at  home  on  that  day,  this  intimation  only 
served  to  bring  them  together  in  greater  numbers.  They 
rejoiced  in  so  favourable  an  opportunity  being  given  them  to 
shed  their  blood  in  defence  of  the  faith.  The  prefect  set 
out  with  his  soldiers.  In  one  of  the  streets  leading  to  the 
Catholic  place  of  meeting,  he  met  a  young  woman,  holding 
a  little  child  by  the  hand :  "Where  are  you  going  so  fast  V* 
he  asked.  "  I  am  going,"  she  replied,  "  where  all  the  other 
Catholics  are  going."  "  Stop,  then !"  said  the  prefect,  "  do 
you  not  know  that  I  am  commanded  by  the  emperor  to  put 
every  one  to  death  that  I  shall  find  there  ?"  "  I  know  it," 
she  answered,  "  and  that  is  the  reason  why  I  am  hastening 
with  my  child,  the  only  one  that  God  hath  given  me,  that 
both  he  and  I  may  have  the  happiness  of  dying  for  the  faith 
of  Christ."  The  prefect,  admiring  her  constancy,  turned 
back  again,  and  sought  the  presence  of  the  emperor,  to  whom 
he  related  his  interview  with  the  woman.  Valeas  was  ex- 
ceedingly confused  by  this  incident,  and,  being  unable  to  with- 
hold his  admiration  for  the  courage  and  constancy  of  the 
Catholics,  he  delayed  not  to  quit  the  city,  so  that  peac*j 
was  speedily  restored  to  the  disciples  of  the  Saviour. 

Ecclenaatical  History 


UWARDH    GOD.  105 

ARTICLE    III. 

MARKS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

'  The  Church  is  the  society  of  the  fkithful  collected  into 
one  and  the  same  body,  governed  by  its  legitimate  pastors, 
of  whom  Jesus  Christ  is  the  invisible  head;  the  Pope,  the 
successor  of  St.  Peter,  being  his  representative  on  earth.— 
Nevertheless,  as  there  are  several  societies  which  take  and 
usurp  the  name  of  the  Church,  it  is  necessary  to  describt* 
the  marks  which  distinguish  the  true  Church  from  those 
which  are  but  nominal. 

There  are  four  infallible  maifts  which  denote  the  true 
Church,  viz. :  its  unity,  its  sanctity;  its  Catholicity,  and 
Apostolicity. 

1st.  The  Church  is  oney  because  there  is  but  one  single 
Church  wherein  we  may  attain  salvation,  and  because  all 
its  members  profess  the  same  faith,  participate  in  the  same 
sacraments,  are  animated  by  the  same  spirit,  united  in  the 
same  bond  of  charity,  aspire  to  the  same  end,  and  obey  the 
same  pastors. 

2nd.  The  Church  is  Holyy  because  her  doctrine  is  holy ; 
her  sacraments  are  holy ;  there  are  no  saints  beyond  her 
p.ile ;  and  because  Jesus  Christ,  her  invisible  head,  is  the 
author  of  all  her  sanctity. 

3rd.  The  Church  is  Catholic^  or  Universal;  that  is  to 
Bay,  she  is  neither  limited  by  time  nor  space :  she  embraces 
all  time  ;  for  she  has  always  existed,  without  any  interr  ip- 
tion,  and  will  exist  till  the  consummation  of  ages,  according 
to  the  promise  of  her  divine  Founder.  All  the  other  soci- 
eties, on  the  contrary,  bear  on  their  front,  so  to  say,  the 
ma-ks  of  their  recent  origin  ;  the  date  of  the  birth  of  each 
too,  is  clearly  ascertained,  which  is  in  itself  a  sufficient 
proof  that  none  of  them  is  the  true  Church  of  Christ.  The 
Church  embraces  all  space ;  the  faithful,  of  whom  she  is 
composed,  being  spread  over  all  the  countries  of  the  earth, 
whilst  each  of  the  other  societies  is  contained  within  some 
one  kingdom  or  state.  The  Church  is  far  more  extensive 
than  any  of  the  other  societies,  calling  themselves  Christian  ; 
hence  it  is,  that  she  every  where  receives  even  from  her 
very  enemies,  the  name  of  Catholic, 


.*«*..■,'•'■:■.; , 
,!■■■  ■■■.'•,•,■•'■.  rl'' 

.■,■»•      ■  1'-  .\\  4  ,■  f'  '" 


I.'jl  It 


iWi^y 


p:  -/ 


•-lli 


i".^*i 


•     ■■'■  .^r     !     f    -., 


*. ,.■•'■■,• '-"-I 


ir 


1 1.. ■■','!, j»r  -i'i- lilt  ■ 

Mm 


106 


DUTY   OP  THB  CHRISTIAN 


4th.  The  Church  is  Apostolic ;  that  is  to  say,  she  was 
founded  by  the  Apostles,  aod  has  been  ever  since  governed 
by  their  successors.  The  other  societies,  In  separating 
themselves  from  the  true  Church,  have  lost  that  succession. 
Every  one,  therefore,  can  easily  ascertain  vi'hether  he  be- 
longs to  the  true  Church,  by  examining  whether  he  is  united 
to  the  Pope,  through  the  medium  of  his  pastor  and  his 
bishop. 

The  true  Church  is  visible  before  all  men ;  so  that  we 
have  but  to  open  the  eyes  of  our  minds  and  we  behold  her. 
Every  .where  she  appears  as  one  great  body,  professing 
the  same  faith,  believing  in  the  same  mysteries,  receiving 
tlie  same  sacraments,  and  implicitly  confiding  in  the  divine 
origin  of  the  authority  of  her  ministers. 

The  true  Church  is  also  called  the  Roman  Church  ;  be- 
cause the  Pope,  the  successor  of  St.  Peter  arid  Bishop  of 
Rome,  is  her  visible  head. 

Example. — St.-  Irenseus,  Bishop  of  Lyons,  who  had  been 
a  disciple  of  St.  Polycarp,  said  to  Florinus,  who  was  dis- 
seminating  doctrines  contrary  to  those  of  the  Catholic 
Church :  "  Your  doctrine  is  not  that  of  the  bishops  who 
have  gone  before  you.  It  seems  to  me  as  though  I  still 
heard  the  blessed  Polycarp  relate  the  conversations  which 
he  had  held  with  John  and  others  who  had  seen  the  Saviour, 
and  the  accounts  which  tkey  were  wont  to  give  of  his  mira- 
cles and  his  teachings.  I  can  assure  you,  before  God,  that 
if  that  holy  bishop  had  heard  the  doctrine  which  you  teach, 
he  would  have  closed  his  ears  against  it,  and  exclaim,  as 
he  used  to  do :  *  Good  God  !  hast  thou  spared  me  so  long, 
but  to  hear  such  things  spoken  V  And  he  would  instantly 
have  taken  his  flight,  fearful  to  hear  such  doctrine  promul- 
gated.'' _^___^  Lasausse. 

ARTICLE   IV. 

ON  THE  AUTHORITY  OP  THE  CHURCH. 

Jesus  Christ  has  given  to  the  pastors  of  the  Church  the 
power  of  teaching  and  of  governing  the  faithful  in  matters 
appertaining  to  salvation.     "  Go ! "  said  he  to  his  Apostles, 


you, 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


107 


••  Go,  teach  all  nations,  teaching  them  to  do  all  things  what- 
soever I  have  commanded  you.  And  lo !  I  am  with  you  all 
days,  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  woi\d."  In  virtue  of 
this  promise,  then,  the  Church  is  infallible  in  her  teachings 
as  regards  faith  and  morals,  and  that  in  whatever  way  shft 
decides,  whether  assembled  in  council,  or  dispersed  alroadlj 
having  with  her  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  Fountain  of  al! 
truth ;  being  ever  enlightened  and  directed  by  his  spirit, 
which  is  the  spirit  of  truth,  she  can  never  promulgate  error. 
Hence  it  is  that  she  is  styled  Y  y  the  Apostle  St.  Paul,  tJic 
piUar  and  tJie  ground  of  truth.  Hence  it  is,  too,  that  the 
great  body  of  her  pastors  can  never  be  deceived  in  what 
relates  to  faith  and  morals ;  the  judgments  which  she  pro- 
nounces, whether  in  proposing  to  the  faithful  the  truths  of 
religion,  or  in  condemning  the  errors  which  rise  up  against 
the  faith,  are  at  all  times  infallible  and  as  ^ch  entitled  to 
perfect  submission.  The  Church  is  the  chair  of  truth ;  she 
speaks  to  men  in  the  name  of  God,  and  when  we  submit 
our  mind  to  her  teachings  and  decisions,  it  is  to  God  himself 
that  we  offer  the  homage  of  our  faith.  "  He  who  heareth 
you,  heareth  me,"  said  our  Lord  to  his  Apostles,  "  and  he 
who  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me  also ;  whosoever  will  not 
hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  and  a 
publican."  I'he  voice  of  our  pastors  is,  therefore,  the  voice 
of  God.  Hence  the  Apostles,  aware  of  the  high  privilege 
ihey  had  received  from  Christ,  placed  at  the  head  of  the  firpt 
judgment  they  pronounced,  these  remarkable  words :  "  It 
oath  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Spirit  and  to  us  " — in  order 
to  make  us  understand  that  their  decision  was  that  of  God 
himself.  It  was,  in  fact,  necessary  that  Jesus  Christ  should 
give  to  his  church  that  infallible  authority.  If  there  were 
no  tribunal  to  decide  dogmatically  on  what  is  to  be  believed, 
each  of  the  faithful  would  wander  away  in  his  own  thoughti 
and  'n.ighiations,  ;md  there  would  be  no  longer  a  unlforrnitjf 
of  belifif.  Were  not  this  tribunal  infallible,  there  woiiid  \m 
reason  to  doubt  the  truth  of  its  decisions,  and  the  faithful 
would  remain  wavering  and  uncertain,  exposed  to  be  carried 
about  by  every  wind  of  doctrint  It  was  then  the  divine 
wisdom  of  Jesus  Christ  which  secured  to  his  Church  th» 
privilege  of  being  preserved  frsm  all  erroi  in  her  teaching! 


,',■»■■■  •  f  i  w;ii 


m 


♦  ',■■ 


■ry, 


•.-  •V'.if  <;.  . 


■  ■  ■  yr'.'i.x:.    if  .  ' 


JV' 


,  . .  -Vt' 

,1  ••. 


I 


■.V.    >  ■ 


I^V:1 


)3 


.,  r,--''  ..'''•■  P>^'i J 

'  .1,'       ^•■j- '  ^ 


^r^'fi  -'%i-  .1 


«  . .     ■,.. 

'■'•:•■,.■  - 
'■"  k*'  '• -Ti  •• 

mi'-    i^~   '. 

i^K"/yf'.;'  *.'  -  ■'■'!; 

TiM: 


w 


f     4-^ 


:^  ■ 


108 


DUTV  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


Jesus  Christ  has  given  to  the  pastors  of  the  church  power 
to  govern  the  faithful ;  this  power  of  jurisdiction  is  exer- 
cised by  the  pope  and  the  bishops  in  the  assemblies  of  the 
church:  the  power  of  the  bishops  consists,  Ist,  in  the  exer- 
cise of  that  power  which  they  received  at  their  consecration, 
oi"  remitting  sins,  and  of  transmitting  to  priests  that  same 
power,  with  whatever  reserve  they  may  deem  proper ;  2nd, 
in  the  power  of  binding  and  unloosing,  that  is  to  say,  retain- 
ing and  forgiving  sins,  and  remitting  the  penalty  incurred  by 
sin  ;  3rd,  in  that  of  governing  the  faithful  according  to  the 
doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  church. 

By  the  discipline  of  the  church  is  meant,  the  rule  which 
the  church  has  made  in  virtue  of  the  authority  given  her  by 
Christ,  for  the  guidance  of  both  priests  and  laity,  together 
xvith  the  usages  and  ceremonies  of  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  and 
oi  divine  service. 

This  power  of  jurisdiction  which  abides  with  the  chief 
ministers  of  Christ  and  pastors  of  the  church,  extends  and 
has  authority  only  over  those  who  are  submissive  to  the 
church,  and  not  at  all  over  those  who  are  entirely  and  open- 
ly separated  from  her  communion,  such  as  pagans  and  in- 
(Ulels. 


l^.^    •    .- 


m 


■  '.::  'J-  -> 


I .  ■■'■■■     *^.  iL'? 


Example. — During  the  schism  of  Antiochus,  St.  Jerome 
was  very  uneasy  in  his  desert.  Being  asked  with  whom  he 
was  in  communion,  whether  with  Vital,  or  Meletius,  or 
Paulinus,  who  were  all  three  rending  the  flock  asunder. 
On  that  occasion,  he  wrote  to  the  Pope  St.  Damasus  in  these 
terms :  "  Following  no  other  chief  but  Jesus  Christ,  I  am  at- 
tached to  the  communion  of  your  Holiness,  that  is  to  say, 
to  the  chair  of  St.  Peter.  I  know  that  the  church  was  built 
on  that  foundation.  Whoever  eateth  the  lamb  outside  that 
house,  is  a  profaner ;  whoever  is  without  the  ark  of  Noah 
perishes  in  the  flood ;  whoever  gathereth  not  with  you  only 
scattereth  abroad ;  I  pray  you,  therefore,  to  tell  me  witli 
whom  I  am  to  communicate."  The  sovereign  pontiff  paid 
attention  to  this  request  of  St.  Jerome,  and  in  consequence 
erf*  the  instructions  received  from  Rome,  thai  illustj'ious  doc- 
tor adopted  the  communion  of  Paulinus,  by  whom  he  was 
ordained  priest. — The  only  way  to  preserve  ourselves  from 


TOWARDS    OOP. 


100 


frring  ir.  matters  of  Faith,  is  to  submit  with  docility  to  tlie 
decisions  of  the  church.  St.  Jkroaie  Letier  57. 


ARTICLE   V. 

OUTSIDB    THE    CHURCH    I'HERB    IS    NO   SALVATION. 

There  is  perhaps  no  one  phrase  which  has  been  (an 
that  for  nearly  two  centuries)  so  much  abused  as  that  one 
Outside  the  Church  there  is  no  salvatioji,  and  yet  no  truth 
is  more  easily  demonstrated. 

What  we  are  about  to  say  on  this  important  subject  will 
prove  that  the  Catholic  Church  must  needs  profess  that  doc- 
trine, although  it  draws  down  upon  her  the  charge  of  intol- 
erance, so  often  brought  against  her  by  modern  philosophers. 

There  is  one  God :  man,  being  his  creature,  is  obliged  to 
obey  him,  that  is  to  say,  to  do  his  will,  and  to  honour  him 
in  the  way  that  he  himself  hath  prescribed.  From  this  truth, 
confirmed  as  it  is  even  by  common  sense,  it  follows  that 
there  is  a  religion,  a  church,  beyond  which  there  is  no  salva 
tion ;  in  other  words,  a  truth  comprising  all  truth,  a  light 
containing  ail  light,  and  a  virtue  beyond  which  there  is  no 
virtue. 

That  religion  which  is  really  the  true  one,  ought  to  be  able 
to  say :  My  founder  is  from  God,  or  rather  he  is  God  him- 
self; his  agents  have  given  incontestible  proofs  of  the  divin- 
ity of  their  mission.  The  creed  which  I  propose  to  y©u  iu 
the  only  one  which  comes  from  God,  and  the  virtues  wliich 
I  command  are  those  which  alone  conduct  to  him. 

Any  religion  which  cannot  speak  in  this  way  of  itself  can 
never  be  taken  as  the  true  religion,  since  it  cannot  even  as- 
sert that  it  is  so.  Is  it  not,  then,  perfectly  natural  for  those 
who  are  sure  that  they  are  in  the  right  way,  to  warn  those 
whom  they  see  going  astray:  *•  You  are  in  the  wrong  way: 
you  will  be  lost  if  you  go  on  !  "  In  fact  all  religions  have 
spoken  so  to  others:  we  know  how  furiously  the  Pagans 
persecuted  the  Christians ;  we  know  the  abuse  wherewith 
the  heretics  of  all  times  have  loaded  the  Roman  Church.  All 
religions  have  then  in  turn  maintained  that  there  was  no  sal 
vatiou  beyond  their  pale:  all  religions  have,  therefore  \een 

10 


.■••V'fC.'i"'  ' 

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i1 


110 


DUTY    OP   TUB    tHHIRTIA?^ 


intolerant,  in  so  far  as  that  they  could  not  approve  of  whaf 
was  contrary  to  their  own  belief.  Will  any  one  say  that  all 
rolif^ions  are  equally  good  ? — That  would  be  to  assert  the 
grossest  absurdity,  and  maintain  yes  and  no  on  the  same  sub- 
ject. Will  it,  on  the  other  hand,  be  said  that  all  are  false, 
by  way  of  pretext  for  following,  none  ? — But  he  who  would 
•ay  so  must  be,  in  the  first  place,  unreasonable,  since  h« 
would  thereby  deny  the  existence  of  natural  religion,  that  li 
to  say,  the  connection  which  should  exist  between  the  intel- 
ligent being  and  his  Creator :  secondly,  he  must  be  rash,  de- 
nying incontestible  facts,  believed  throughout  the  entire  world, 
facts  which  manifestly  prove  that  God  has  spoken  to  men : 
thirdly,  he  must  be  the  most  intolerant  of  all,  since  he  would 
proscribe  all  creeds,  and  condemn  all  the  religious  practices 
by  which  men  have  in  all  ages  rendered  homage  to  the  Diety. 

But  if  it  be  evident  that  man  must  have  a  religion,  it  is 
not  less  clear  that  there  can  be  only  one  which  is  true — only 
one  which  is  pleasing  to  God,  or  can  lead  to  everlasting 
happiness :  how  can  it  be  supposed  that  he  who  despises 
the  Supreme  Being  who  has  created  him,  or  who  insults  him 
by  a  criminal  life,  can  have  the  same  fate  as  he  who  adores 
and  loves  him,  and  who  does  him  honour  by  the  sanctity  of 
his  life ;  error  and  truth,  vice  and  virtue  cannot  have  the 
same  end,  or  conduct  to  the  same  happiness ;  there  is  then 
but  one  Religion,  but  one  Church. 

This  point  ascertained,  which  of  all  the  religions  in  the 
world  is  the  true  one,  which  all  men  must  embrace  in  order 
to  obtain  salvation  ?  It  is  evidently  that  which  gives  the 
clearest  proofs  of  the  sanctity  of  its  morality  and  the  divini- 
ty of  its  institution,  that  which  has  been  announced  by  the 
Prophets  ;  and  whose  truth  has  been  proved  by  prodigies ; 
that  one,  in  a  word,  which  Jesus  Christ  has  established, 
and  which  has  been  transmitted  even  to  us  by  an  uninter 
rupted  chain  of  the  successors  of  the  Apostles.  It  is  only 
the  Catholic,  Apostolic,  and  Roman  Church  which  enjoys 
all  these  prerogatives. 

It  is,  therefore  quite  true  that  there  is  no  salvation  outside 
the  Catholic  Church,  she  alone  possessing  all  the  marks 
which  manifest  the  divinity  of  the  true  religion  ;  that  neithei 
is  there  salvation  for  liira  who  lives  not  according  to  her  doo* 


l,,lKri 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


Ill 


Irine,  or  who  dies  impenitent ;  no  salvation  for  bini  who 
having  it  in  his  power  to  see  the  truth,  will  not  take  the  trou- 
ble of*  adopting  it;  no  salvation  for  any  sectary  who,  having 
just  reason  to  doubt  the  divinity  of  his  religion,  does  not  tako 
tlie  necessary  means  to  ascertain  the  truth. 

It  is  not  the  Church  then  that  condemns  those  who  reject 
her  doctnnes,  and  practise  not  her  morality  ; — no,  it  is  not 
the  Church,  it  is  they  who  destroy  themselves  by  their 
obstinncy  and  bad  faith.  No,  the  Church  condemns  none : 
she  only  announces  that  Truth  is  one,  even  as  God  is  onCf 
and  that  they  who  wilfully  wander  away  from  its  path,  are 
beyond  the  pale  of  salvation ;  she  bewails  their  blindness, 
and  prays  for  their  conversion,  acknowledging  while  she 
does  so  that  it  is  only  He  who  sounds  the  depths  of  the  heart 
who  can  judge  of  the  uprightness  of  theirs,  and  that  He 
alone  can  see  whether  they  are  guilty  in  their  ignorance,  and 
in  their  separation  from  that  precious  unity,  which  is  the  es- 
sential mark  of  truth. 

But,  it  may  be  asked,  what  then  is  to  become  of  so  many 
children  who  die  without  baptism,  of  so  many  Pagans, 
Mahometans,  Jews,  heretics  and  poor  savages  ?  The 
Holy  Scripture  says  nothing  as  to  the  fate  of  children  who 
die  un baptised,  and  the  Church  ventures  not  to  decide  the 
point ;  but,  although  it  is  not  said  that  they  go  to  heaven, 
it  does  not  follow  that  they  must  be  as  wretched  as  those 
whose  destruction  is  their  own  work.  We  know  that  they 
do  not  see  God,  but  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  they  do 
not  feel  all  the  bitterness  of  such  a  privation.  As  to  the 
nations  who  might  have  the  true  religion,  but  refuse  to  em- 
brace it,  they  shall  be  justly  condemned.  But  should  it 
happen  that  any  one  was  invincibly  ignorant,  or  had  no 
means  of  discovering  the  truth,  then  we  might  reasonably 
hope  that  God  would  rather  work  a  miracle  in  his  favour 
than  leave  him  in  darkness.  So  it  is  that  the  Chnrch  re- 
futes the  imputation  of  intolerance. 

But  whence  comes  the  ardent  interest  which  skeptics  are 
wont  to  take  in  infidels,  and  all  those  who  are  not  enlight- 
ened by  faith  ?  How  is  it  that,  while  affecting  to  pity  their 
condemnation,  they  imprudently  abuse  the  means  of  salva* 
lion  which  God  has  granted  to  themselves  ?    Either  their 


■'.  ••'.>•■  ;«Jr  .'■<L 


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l 


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:q-.:^*-i 


■  ■> . 


\s]    :.h- 


112 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHfilBTIAN 


compliiints  nro  unjust,  and  soU'ly  dictated  b^  tlie  hatred 
which  they  iK'ur  towards  the  Church,  or  otherwise  they  act 
as  fools.  "Why,"  let  us  say  to  them,  witii  8t.  Paul,  "why 
lose  time  in  examining  how  God  will  ileal  with  thoao  n.', 
tions  who  are  not  of  the  faith  ?  Bu«y  yourself  ralher  ia 
rooting  up  the  evil  which  is  in  you,  and  which  may  destroy 
you  forever.  Rest  assured  that  God  will  never  condemn 
tliose  who  sincerely  seek  the  truth  in  order  to  embrace  it, 
as  he  will  assuredly  punish  those  with  severity  who  have 
abused  the  lights  and  graces  they  received." — "Mail !"  cries 
Mr.  Moore,  after  hesitating  several  years  in  his  choice  of  a 
religion,  "  Hail  to  thee,  oh  true  Church !  thou  who  alone 
leadest  to  life  eternal,  lot  my  soul  repose  in  the  sh  'de  f 
thy  branches ! — Fur  from  me  the  rashness  to  dive  int«^  ' 
deptlis  of  thy  mysteries,  and  the  impiety  to  rail  at  their 
darkness! — Let  the  scoffer  reason — I  admire;  let  him  dis- 
pute— I  believe ;  I  behold  the  height,  but  I  sound  not  all 
tlie  depth." 

Examples. — The  Princess  Elizabeth  Christina  of  Wolfen- 
buttel,  thought  it  her  duty,  before  she  married  Chailu-s  of 
Austria,  afterwards  the  Emperor  Charles  VI.,  to  consult 
the  Lutherans,  v/hose  laith  she  had  till  then  professed. — 
This  she  did  in  order  to  satisfy  her  own  conscience.  The 
Protestant  doctors,  assembled  at  Helmstadt,  replied  that,  "As 
regards  fundamental  doctrine,  the  Catl)olics  are  not  in  error, 
BO  that  salvation  may  be  obtained  in  their  comniuiiiori."— . 
*'If  that  be  so,"  said  the  princess,  when  she  heard  tlie  de- 
cision, "  there  is  no  need  to  hesitate  longer,  and  to-morrow 
I  shall  become  a  Catholic.  In  a  matter  of  so  groat  im- 
portance, the  surest  way  is  always  the  best  to  choose." 
Her  father  expressed  himself  of  the  sune  opinion,  and  he 
to>>  became  a  Catholic.     De  Trevern.>  -Fucjw'/    THacun     h. 

Henry  IV.,  solicited  by  his  friends  to  embrace  the  Catho* 
Jic  faith,  demanded  of  the  bishops  whether  one  could  be 
^^%\tA  in  the  Church  of  Rome ;  they,  of  course,  replied  that 
ftT»!s::redly  one  could  save  his  soul  in  the  Church,  and  that, 
moreo'-.i,  there  vas  no  salvation  outside  her  pale.  The 
moiia:ch  then  addressed  himself  to  the  Protestant  ministerSj 


TOWARDS    GOO. 


Ill 


and  Hskod  them  whether  ttaKatioii  was  to  bo  found  in  th« 
retVtnnod  Cliurches  as  h  that  of  Kome  ;  the  ministers  hav. 
irig  iiiiswered  that  one  could  be  saved  i)  either,  whereupon 
the  king  said:  "  The  'ishojo  .  rt  that  out  of  their  Cli  oh 
there  is  no  salvation  ;  y<»u  aoknowled^  '  that  salvatioi,  is 
to  he  obtained  in  their  connnur)ion:  in  that  ,  i  must  d 

clare  myself  a  Catholic,  in  an  ati'-dr  so  itupurtant,  the 
surest  way  is  the  best."     ______ 

ARTICLE   VI. 

THE    COMMUNION    OF    SAINTS. 

All  the  faithful  who  compose  the  Churcl  Catholic  are 
united  together  and  form  but  one  body,  of  which  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  head.  The  close  connection  existii  <r  between 
all  the  members  of  this  body,  establishes  amom  st  tlieirt  a 
community  of  spiritual  goods,  and  this  is  what  e  under- 
stand by  the  Communion  of  Saints. 

The  faithful  are  called  saints,  because  thi  y  h;  ve  been 
sanctified  by  Baptism,  and  are  all  culled  to  sanctit  '  The 
spiritual  goods,  which  are  common  to  the  faithful,  re  tho 
infinite  graces  which  C>r  Lord  has  obtained  for  ub  by  his 
sufferings,  the  merits  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  nil  aints, 
the  Sacraments,  the  prayers,  and  all  other  good  works  .liich 
are  done  within  the  Church.  Of  all  these  spiritual  g  its  is 
formed  a  treasury  which  belongs  to  all  the  Church,  ach 
of  the  faithful  having  his  share  according  to  his  dispositions. 
Those  who  are  in  the  state  of  grace  have  a  full  ])urtiiipa- 
tion  in  all  the  spiritual  treasures  of  the  Church. 

This  community  of  spiritual  goods  is  the  necessary  con- 
sequence of  the  unity  of  the  Church.  All  the  members  of 
a  family  labour  for  the  advantage  of  tho  whole,  and  each 
has  his  own  benefit  in  common  with  the  others.  So  it  is 
with  the  Church,  whose  members  compose  but  one  fiuniiy 
and  one  compact  body.  St.  Paul  compares  the  Church  to 
the  hunuHu  body  ;  and  no  similitude  could  give  us  a  bettor 
Idea  of  n  ,mt  is  meant  by  the  Comnmnion  of  Saints.  The 
body  has  Hoveral  members,  and  each  of  these  has  its  own 
peculiar  function  ;  nevertheless,  they  all  form  but  one  and 
the  s^ine  l>ody.     They  have  all  the  same  head,  tl»e  sam<» 


fm' 

w. 

'  •  •  •  f , 

.'  ^ '  ■ 

'■'■•;    *  <:<r 
•*• 

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-■    ''.•■1,',. 


I   "^  ..  .  •^«-*Si;i 

'..■     •         '■■*.  V*   tift'i 

\  >■■..•  ■;:.'^';^ 

[         •  '  ;(*.■-*•■.•< 

'  ■  ■%  4^M, 
Mil  '.r't^! 

,  '■  :  t     '4.    ,       »'; 
t    .•,'■..   I  . 

I  J*  ■"*(.       '  • 

I  /      ■'"■■■  -Il^/'iis 

■,■■'  ■'»*  "^/" 

■  .  ■■'nil' 
►«:;?'•'•- 


114 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


Boul,  the  same  life.  The  functions  of  each  member,  and 
tlieir  benefits  are  for  the  good  of  all  the  body ;  all  concur 
to  the  same  end,  which  is  the  preservation  of  the  body ; 
the  eyes  see,  the  ears  hear,  the  hands  act,  the  feet  walk  for 
the  whole  body ;  in  a  word,  all  the  members  conspire  for 
the  advantage  of  each  other,  and  lend  each  other,  in  case  of 
need,  all  possible  assistance.  So,  in  the  Church,  all  the 
faithful,  animated  by  the  same  spirit,  living  under  the  same 
head,  are  united  amongst  themselves  in  all  their  various  ac- 
tions. Each  member  prays,  labours,  and  merits  for  all  the 
body,  and  receives  at  the  same  time  the  price  of  the  labours, 
virtues,  and  prayers  of  the  entire  Church.  But  in  order  to 
profit  by  these  advantages,  one  must  be  a  member  of  the 
Church ;  those  who  are  separated  from  her  by  heresy,  by 
schism,  or  apostacy,  or  those  whom  she  has  cast  forth  from 
her  communion  by  excommunication,  have  no  part  in  the 
spiritual  advantages  derived  from  the  Communion  of  Saints. 

In  order  to  have  a  full  share  in  these  gifts  and  blessings, 
one  must  even  be  a  living  member  of  the  Church,  or  in  other 
words,  one  must  be  in  the  state  of  grace.  Those  siimers  in 
whom  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not  abide  by  grace,  are  indeed, 
members  of  the  Church,  but  they  are  dead  members :  how, 
therefore,  can  they  pretend  to  the  same  advantages  as  those 
who  are  full  of  life  ?  A  dead  arm^  though  it  remain  attached 
to  the  human  body,  can  neither  receive  nourishment,  increase, 
motion,  nor  action.  Yet  even  sinners  cease  not  to  derive 
some  profit  from  thei'-  union  with  the  rest  of  the  body  ;  it  is 
a  great  privilege  to  belong  to  that  society  in  which  alone  are 
found  truth,  charity,  justice,  salvation,  and  the  means  of  at- 
taining it.  A  sinner  is  dead ;  it  is  true  ;  but  whilst  he  re- 
mains united  to  the  body,  he  may  revive  by  the  praj'ers  of 
the  Church,  which  are  incessantly  offered  up  for  his  return 
to  life  by  the  way  of  sincere  repentance. 

The  faithful  of  whom  the  Church  is  composed  arc  divid- 
ed into  three  branches :  the  Church  militant,  comprising  all 
those  who  still  wage  war  on  earth  against  the  enemies  of 
salvation  ;  the  Church  Triumphant,  consisting  of  the  bless- 
ed in  heaven ;  and  the  Church  Suffering,  which  is  composed 
of  the  souls  who  are  yet  expiating  their  faults  befoie  they 
eau  enter  Paradise. 


TOWARDS  COD. 


115 


Hetice,  the  faithful  on  earth  are  not  only  united  amongst 
Uicmselves,  but  also  with  the  Saints  triumphing  in  heaven, 
and  with  the  suffering  souls  in  purgatory.  We  rejoice  in 
the  liappiness  of  tlie  Saints,  we  bless  God  for  what  he  has 
done  for  them,  and  beg  them  to  intercede  with  him  for  us ; 
Uie  Saints  on  their  side,  love  us  as  their  brethren,  and  assist 
us  by  their  prayers.  We  offer  our  supplications  to  God  on 
behalf  of  the  souls  in  purgatory ;  we  give  alms,  and  p^erfonn 
other  good  works  that  he  may  relieve  them  in  their  sufier- 
ings,  and  in  his  mercy  abridge  their  duration. 

Example. — St  Fructuosus,  a  bishop  of  the  third  century, 
prayed  without  ceasing  for  all  the  Church.  When  about 
to  suffer  martyrdom,  being  condemned  to  be  burned  alive 
for  the  Faith,  a  Christian  took  him  by  the  hand  and  said,  "  I 
entreat  thee  to  remember  me  before  God  ? "  The  holy  mar 
tyr  replied,  "  I  must  remember  all  the  Catholic  Church,  ex 
tended  from  east  to  west  over  the  earth  !'* 

St.  Polycarp  used  to  pray  day  and  night  for  the  Whole 
Church  Catkolic,  throughout  all  the  world.        Lasausse 


CHAPTER   XI. 

I    BELIEVE    IN    THE    FORGIVENESS    OF    SINS. 

It  is  only  in  the  Catholic  Church  that  remission  of  sins  is 
found,  God  grants  that  favour  only  to  those  who  become  his 
children.  It  is  through  Baptism  that  Christians  are  first 
cleansed  from  original  sin ;  but  as  it  too  frequently  happens 
that  the  baptismal  innocence  is  quickly  lost,  Jesus  Christ 
has  instituted  a  Sacrament  for  the  remissirn  of  sin,  com- 
mitted after  Baptism ;  this  is  the  SacramenI  of  Penance. 
God  is  always  disposed  to  forgive  us,  provided  that  we  re- 
ceive this  Sacrament  with  sincere  sorrow  for  our  sins. 
There  is  no  sin  which  cannot  be  effaced  by  this  means. 
Should  we  even  have  committed  the  most  grievous  crimes, 
and  were  they  more  numerous  than  the  hairs  of  our  head, 
we  can  obtain  their  remission  by  the  Sacrament  of  Penance, 


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DUTY    OP    THE    CHRI8TIATC 


It  is  not,  however,  through  our  own  merits  that  pardun 
is  granted  to  us,  but  through  those  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
Saviour. 

The  promise  which  God  has  made  to  forgive  our  sins 
is  purely  the  effect  of  his  mercy ;  and  that  promise  is  the 
6ole  resource  of  sinners  and  the  motive  of  their  confidence. 

It  is  God  alone  who  can  forgive  sin ;  hence,  when  the 
priest  pronounces  the  sentence  of  absolution,  it  is  God  him- 
who  effaces  the  sin  by  his  ministry. 

We  cannot  doubt  that  Jesus  Christ  has  granted  to  his 
Church  the  power  of  remitting  sin  :  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Ohosl"  said  he  to  his  Apostles ;  "  whose  sins  ye  forgive, 
tliey  shall  be  forgiven ;  and  whose  sins  ye  Fetain,  they  shall 
be  retained." 

We  should  be  more  fully  sensible  of  the  value  of  this  fa- 
vour, if  we  could  comprehend  the  misfortune  of  a  person 
who,  after  having  offended  God,  could  never  recover  the 
grace  he  had  lost,  and  who  would  be  obliged  ever  to  bear 
all  the  weight  of  his  iniquity,  while  feeling  himself  hurried  on 
by  time  towards  the  fatal  term  of  his  reprobation. 

Great  care  must,  nevertheless,  be  taken  not*- to  abuse  the 
mercy  of  God,  or  presume  upon  it,  in  order  to  sin  more 
freely.  What!  should  we  offend  him  because  he  is  always 
ready  to  pardon  us  ? — should  we  be  wicked,  because  he  is 
infinitely  good  ? — Let  us  not  deceive  ourselves  in  this  matter ; 
that  abuse  of  his  mercy  is  the  crime  which  of  all  others 
offends  him  most,  and  God  w^ho  forgives  all  those  who  wor- 
thily approach  him  in  the  Sacrament  of  reconciliation,  may 
not  leave  us  time  to  have  "ecourse  to  it.  How  many  peo- 
ple have  been  cut  off  in  their  sins,  and  who  has  assured  us 
that  W9  shall  not  be  taken  short,  as  they  were  ? 

Example. — k  servant,  returning  from  Catechism,  was  in- 
terrogated by  his  master  on  what  he  had  learned  ;  he  answer- 
ed with  a  sigh !  "  I  have  learned  that  I  am  damned." — 
**  How  is  that  ?  "  inquired  the  master.  "  Because  the  Cate- 
chism says  that  one  must  have  more  sorrow  for  his  sins 
than  for  the  death  of  his  father ;  and  for  my  part,  I  have 
griev3d  far  more  for  my  father's  death  than  evei*  I  did  for  my 
sins."     His  master  told  him  that  perhaps  \q  did  not  clearly 


TOWARDS    GOD.  117 

■i 

understand  what  he  had  heard,  and  he  proceeded  to  explain 
to  hiii»  the  doctrine  of  the  Council  of  Trent  concerning 
contrition,  in  the  following  manner :  "  Do  you  not  perceive 
that  the  uorrow  which  we  feel  for  having  offended  God,  is  of 
a  nature  entirely  distinct  from  the  grief  arising  from  the 
death  of  a  friend,  or  parent  ?  The  former  is  a  hatred  and 
a  detestation  of  the  sin  committed  :  the  latter  is  the  effect  of 
the  natural  tenderness  which  exists  in  the  heart  for  a  dear 
relation.  Do  you  hate,  do  you  detest  sin  ?  are  j^ou  resolved 
rather  to  die  than  to  sin  again  ?  If  such  are  your  sentiments, 
you  have  the  necessary  sorrow — ^you  have,  in  short,  true 
contrition."  On  hearing  this,  the  worthy  man  began  to 
breathe  more  freely,  and  sincerely  thanked  his  master  for  hav- 
ing so  far  enlightened  him,  and  drawn  him  from  his  error, 
which  if  permitted  to  continue  might  have  ended  in  despair. 

Abbe  Salvatori,  Reflections  for  Sinyiers. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    RESURRECTION    OF    THE    BODY. 

It  is  an  article  of  faith,  that  our  body  shall  one  day  rise 
again.  All  men  shall  die,  and  they  shall  arise  again  with  the 
same  bodies  they  had  in  this  life.  The  body,  laid  in  the 
earth,  shall  go  through  the  process  of  corruption,  and  moul- 
der into  dust;  but  what  changes  soever  it  may  have  under- 
gone, its  ashes  shall  one  day  be  gathered  together  and  re- 
animated by  the  breath  of  God.  Life  is  but  a  dream,  and 
death  a  sleep;  but  the  resurrection  will  be  the  beginning  of 
a  hfe  which  shall  never  end.  There  is  no  truth  more  clearly 
established  in  Holy  Writ,  nor  more  firmly  maintained  in  all 
ages,  than  this  of  the  Resurrection.  It  was  believed,  too, 
from  the  very  beginning.  "  I  know,"  said  the  holy  man  Job 
•*  tliat  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  will  raise  me  up  at  the  last 
day :  and  I  shall  be  clothed  again  with  my  skin,  and  in  my 
flesh  I  shall  see  my  God ;  whom  I  myself  shall  see,  and  my 
^yes  shall  behold,  and  not  another."  But  it  is  principally  in 
the  no.w  Law  that  this  truth  is  made  clearly  manifest.  "  The 
day  will  come,"  said  Jesus  Christ,  "  when  all  who  are  in  the 
grave  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Sou  of  God,  and  they  wlw 


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118 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHSIfiTIAIf 


have  done  good  works,  shall  arise  and  live  forever ;  but  they 
who  have  done  evil  shall  arise  to  be  condemned." — "  In  a 
moment,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the 
sound  of  the  last  trumpet  the  dead  shall  arise  to  die  no 
moi  e."  That  resurrection  shall  be  general ;  all  shall  arise, 
the  great  and  the  small,  the  just  and  the  wicked,  they  who 
have  lived  before  us  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  they 
who  are  now  on  the  earth,  they  who  shall  come  after  us,  ali 
shall  die,  and  rise  again  at  the  last  day  with  the  same  bodies 
they  had  in  this  life.  It  is  God  who  will  work  this  prodigy 
by  his  Omnipotence.  As  he  has  drawn  all  things  from 
notliing  by  his  will  alone,  so  shall  he  with  as  much  ease, 
gather  together  our  scattered  members,  and  re-unite  them 
with  our  souls.  It  is  not  more  difficult  for  the  Almighty  to 
re-animate  our  bodies  than  it  was  for  him  to  create  them. 
Nay,  we  have  under  our  eyes,  every  year,  a  figure  of  this 
resurrection.  Are  not  the  trees  as  it  were,  dead  during  the 
winter,  and  do  they  not  appear  to  resuscitate  in  the  spring  ? 
The  grain  and  other  seed  which  is  cast  into  the  earth,  decays 
therein,  only  {o  come  forth  again  fairer  than  at  first ;  it  is 
the  same  with  our  body  ;  which,  like  unto  a  seed,  is  laid  in 
the  earth,  for  a  season,  to  come  forth  again  full  of  life.  The 
bodies  of  the  just  shall  not  then  be  solid,  heavy,  and  cop* 
ruptible,  as  they  now  are ;  but  they  shall  shine  like  the  sun, 
and  shall  be  free  from  all  sorts  of  pain  and  inconvenience, 
full  of  strength  and  agility,  such  as  was  tho  body  of  Our 
Lord  after  his  resurrection.  The  just,  who  a:e  his  children, 
sanctified  by  his  grace,  united  and  incorporated  with  him  by 
Faith,  shall  arise  like  unto  himself;  Jesus  Christ  shall  trans- 
form their  mean  and  abject  bodies,  and  shall  render  them  con>» 
formable  to  his  own — glorious  and  impassible.  The  body, 
which  has  had  its  share  in  the  good  doi>e  by  the  soul  while 
they  were  joined  together,  shall  participate  also  in  its  happi* 
ness.  The  wicked  shall,  indeed,  rise  again,  but  their  bodies 
shall  have  none  of  these  glorious  qualities ;  they  shall  arise> 
but  only  to  be  given  up  to  torments  endless  in  their  duration^ 
and  inconceivable  in  their  greatness. 

"  All  the  multitude  of  those  who  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the 
earth,"  says  one  of  the  Prophets,  "  shall  awake,  some  fof 
h£d  eternal,  and  others  for  endless  ignominy  and  dis 


grace. 


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TOWARDS    GOD, 


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What  a  spectacle  shall  then  meet  our  eyes !  what  soiili- 
ments  will  arise  in  our  hearts,  when  we  hear  the  sound  of 
the  trumpet,  and  when  that  dreadful  voice  shall  echo  over 
the  earth,  "  Arise,  ye  dead  !  and  come  to  judgment !  " — 
when  we  shall  see  all  mankind  assemble,  without  any  other 
distinction  than  that  made  by  tlieir  own  works ! — St.  Jerome, 
in  the  desert,  continually  fancied  that  he  heard  the  last 
trumpet,  and  his  <5oul  was  filled  with  terror.  We  have  much 
more  reason  to  fear  than  he  had ;  how  then  can  we  rest  sa- 
tisfied ?  If  the  future  resurrection  of  the  body  is  a  source 
of  hope  and  consolat'on  for  the  just,  it  is  also  an  objcsct  of 
terror  and  dismay  to  tne  sinner. 

Example. — In  the  reign  of  Antiochus,  the  seven  young 
Maccabees  and  their  mother  generously  sufl^ered  the  most  cruel 
torments  rather  than  violate  the  Law  of  God,  because  they 
hoped  in  the  resurrection.  The  first  had  his  tongue  cut  off, 
and  the  skin  torn  off  his  head,  and  he  being  still  alive  he 
was  cast  into  a  caldron  over  a  huge  fire.  The  second,  when 
expiring,  said  to  the  king:  "You  now  put- us  to  death  ;  but 
the  Ruler  of  the  world  shall  one  day  raise  us  up  to  life  ever- 
lasting." The  third  said  with  confidence  :  "  I  have  received 
these  members  from  Heaven,  but  I  now  hold  them  as  nothing 
in  defence  of  the  Laws  of  God,  because  I  ho[)e  that  they 
shall  be  one  day  restored  to  me."  The  fourth  spoke  in 
these  terms  :  "  It  is  better  for  us  to  Jbe  slain  for  obeying  God, 
then  to  preserve  our  lives  by  disobeying  him  ;  we  hope  that 
in  the  resurrection,  God  will  render  glorious  these  bodies 
which  we  received  from  him."  The  others  manifested  simi- 
lar courage  and  intrepidity.  Nevertheless,  the  youngest  still 
remained;  and  Antiochus  tried  to  shake  his  purpose  by 
caresses  and  the  hope  of  reward  ;  he  also  sent  him  to  his 
mother,  hoping  that  she  would  persuade  him  to  sacrifice  to 
the  idols.  But  that  generous  mother  said  to  her  son ;  •*  Look 
up  to  heaven  !  raise  thine  eyes  to  Gcd,  who  hath  created  aJ 
things,  and  thou  shalt  not  fear  these  torments,  but  will  follow 
thy  brethren  to  death ! "  Antiochus,  more  than  ever  em  aged, 
poured  out  all  his  wrath  on  the  boy,  and  caused  the  rnothei 
t<3  undergo  the  same  torments  as  her  sons. 


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120  DUTY    OP  THE    CHHISTIAIf 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

I    BELIEVE  ■  IN    LIFE    EVERLASTING. 

OirR  soul,  immortal  in  its  nature,  on  quitting  the  body, 
jwissos  from  this  life  to  another,  from  this  visible  world  to  a 
world  invisible.  The  Pagans  themselves  believed  in  a  future 
life,  wherein  man  was  to  be  punished  or  -^compensed  ac- 
cording to  his  works.  The  expectation  oi  a  future  life  is 
therefore  the  dogma  of  all  mankind,  and  the  faith  of  nature. 

There  is,  then,  another  life  to  come  after  this,  and  that 
life  shall  never  have  an  end.  We  shall  be  eternally  happy 
or  eternally  miserable,  according  as  God  has  found  us  Just 
•>r  wickcu  at  the  moment  of  our  death  ;  but  as  the  soul 
may  be  stained  with  numerous  trivial  faults,  which  must 
exclude  it  from  heaven  for  a  time,  yet  do  not  make  it  de- 
serving of  hell,  it  follows  that  besides  the  paradise  prepared 
/or  the  just,  and  the  hell  destined  for  the  wicked,  there  is 
Btill  another  place  which  is  called  purgatory y  established 
temporarily  to  purify  souls  who  are  found  guilty,  at  their 
departure  from  this  world,  of  certain  venial  sins,  or  who 
otherwise  have  not  satisfied  the  divine  Justice  for  the  pen- 
alty which  remains  after  mortal  sin  h-<is  been  remitted  in 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

Example. — St.  Bernard,  quitting  the  paternal  roof,  to 
bury  himself  with  his  tfrethren  in  solitude,  they  were  met 
by  the  young  Nivard,  their  brother,  to  whom  they  said  : — 
*•  Henceforward,  regard  our  inheritance  as  thine  own ;  v>e 
are  going  to  enter  religion." — "  That  is  to  say,"  replied  the 
ciiild,  "  that  heaven  shall  be  yours,  and  earth  mine ;  assur- 
edly our  shares  are  far  from  being  equal,"  and  he  soo 
after  followed  their  example. 

GoDEscAKD. — Life  of  St.  Bernard. 


ARTICLE   I. 


ON  PURGATORY. 


In  order  to  go  to  heaven   immediately  after  death,  the 
Aoul  must  either  have  preserved  its  baptismal  innocence,  or 


TOWARDS    GOD.  12i 

recovered  it  by  penince ;  for  nothing  defiled  can  entef 
heaven.  But  human  weakness  being  so  great,  it  is  very 
difficult  to  preserve  ourselves  pure  amid  the  contagion  of 
the  world,  and  to  bo  found  at  the  final  moment  entirely  free 
from  stain  or  imperfection  ;  hence  the  necessity  of  a  place 
of  expiation  for  these  lighter  faults,  as  well  as  to  supply  the 
want  of  penance  which  should  have  been  done  for  certain 
sins  although  remitted,  as  to  their  eternal  punishment,  by 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

In  the  time  of  the  old  Law,  this  truth  was  perfectly  well 
known,  and  all  who  were  at  all  instructed  in  religious  mat- 
ters, knew  that  souls  were  purified  from  their  venial  faults 
by  temporary  punishments  before  they  entered  Into  Limbo, 
or  tli.it  place  of  rest  wherein  they  were  to  await  the  coming 
of  Christ,  who  was  to  introduce  them  into  heaven.  The 
valiant  Judas  Maccabeus  sent  a  sum  of  money  to  Jerusa- 
lem, for  the  purpose  of  having  prayers  and  sacrifices  offer- 
ed up  for  his  soldiers,  slain  in  battle :  "  because,"  said  he, 
"  it  is  a  good  and  salutary  thing  to  pray  for  the  dead,  to  the 
«id  that  they  ma}'  be  delivered  from  their  sins."  But  this 
truth  has  been  more  clearly  defined  by  the  decisions  of  the 
Church,  founded  on  the  very  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  which 
establish  a  distinction  between  sins  which  may  and  may 
not  be  remitted  either  in  this  world  or  the  other. 

Although  the  Church  has  not  decided  with  regard  to  the 
pains  of  purgatory,  it  is  certain  that  they  are  in  proportion 
to  the  greatness  of  the  sins  which  remain  to  be  expiated,  and 
that,  consequently,  they  must  be  very  great ;  several  of  the 
fathers  are  even  of  opinion  that  they  differ  from  the  pains  of 
hell  only  in  the  term  of  their  duration,  and  the  patience 
with  which  they  are  endured. 

It  is  in  our  power  to  relieve  the  so  lis  in  purgatory,  and 
we  are  even  bound  to  do  it,  if  we  would  conform  to  the 
spirit  of  the  Church.  They  are  of  the  elect,  friends  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  being  destined  to  reign  vith  him,  they  will  be 
able  to  indemnify  us  a  hundred-fold  for  the  sacrifices  wo 
shall  have  made  to  relieve  them  or  abridge  their  pains. — 
They  are  our  neighbours,  our  relatives,  our  friends,  our 
benefactors,  who  cry  to  us  from  the  depth  of  their  dun- 
geons, beseeching  us  in  piteous  tones,  "  Have  pity  on  me 

11 


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DUTY    OF    TUK    OHKI8TIAN 


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-hjive  [)lty  on  me ;  you,  at  least,  who  are  ir^y  fiionds !" 
My  (lenr  child!"  cries  a  father,  a  mother,  from  amidst  the 
puigiiiy  flames,  "  we  suffer  inconceivable  torments  in  thia 
place  of  woe  ;  take  [)ity  on  those  to  whom  yon  tvve  so 
many  obligations, — even  your  life,  and  the  wealth  }  m  pos- 
sess;  have  compassion  on  our  lamentations,  and  relieve  us 
in  our  sufferings ;  you  can  easily  do  it :  the  assistance  of 
the  Holy  Sacrifice,  an  alms,  a  prayer,  the  sacrifice  of  some 
pleasure  or  enjoyment,  which  you  will  make  on  our  behalf, 
nay,  the  slightest  voluntary  privation,  may  have  cfToct  in 
delivering  us  from  the  torments  we  endure,  and  in  p'-^cur- 
ing  for  us  the  glory  of  heaven! — Ah!  can  you  be  ii;sonsi- 
ble  to  our  misfortunes,  and  neglect  us  in  the  time  of  our 
necessity  ?  Will  you  dare  give  yourselves  up  to  joy  while 
we  are  plunged  in  devouring  flames  V* 

What!  a  stranger,  even  an  enemy  would  excite  our  com- 
passion if  we  saw  him  in  so  deplorable  a  state,  and  we 
could  not  refrain  from  stretcjiing  forth  a  hand  to  assist  in 
drawing  him  from  the  fiery  furnace.  Well !  in  purgatory, 
there  are  parents,  brothers,  sisters,  friends,  forgotten  and 
neglected  by  their  own  ;  how  can  we  desert  them  thus  ? — 
These  souls  carmot  satisfy  the  justice  of  God  but  by  paying 
to  the  last  farthing ;  they  are  as  prisoners  retained  for  debt 
in  that  place  of  torment;  nevertheless,  we  can  make  satis- 
faction for  them  by  prayer,  fasting,  alms-deeds,  indulgences 
and  communions,  and  particularly  by  having  the  Holy  Sac- 
rifice offered  up  on  their  behalf.  Charity  makes  it  a  duty 
for  us  to  relieve  these  faithful  souls,  commanding  us  to  do 
unto  others  what  we  should  wish  to  have  done  for  our- 
selves. It  is  even  our  interest  to  fulfil  this  duty,  for  the  souls 
whom  we  may  have  relieved  will  be  sure  to  interest  them 
selves  for  us  in  heaven,  and  that  most  efl!icaciously ;  they 
will  become  powerful  protectors  for  us  as  regards  both  this 
world  and  the  next.  Even  justice  compels  us  to  be  mind- 
ful ©f  the  souls  in  purgatory ;  and  that  because  sonie  may 
be  there  retained  either  for  having  been  too  indulgent  to  us, 
in  flattering  our  passions,  or  otherwise  for  having  offended 
God  on  our  account ;  it  may  be  a  father  or  mother  who 
has  committed  some  unjust  act  in  order  to  enrich  us ;  mor>e- 
over,  they  may  have  enjoined   us  to  give  alms  or  malw 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


123 


restitution  for  them,  which  we  neglecting  to  do,  thx^  are 
(ietaiiied  in  their  dreary  prison. 

ExAMi'LE. — St.  Perpetua,  St.  Felicitas,  and  other  sorvanta 
of  Ciirist,  having  been  arrested  for  the  faith,  wore  confined 
in  a  close  prison,  where  Perpetua  was  favoured  with  many 
visions.  In  the  first  of  these,  the  Lord  made  known  to 
her  that 'she  and  her  companions  were  all  to  suffer  niari^i- 
dom ;  in  the  second,  she  saw  one  of  her  brothers,  who  had 
died  some  time  before.  It  appeared  to  her  that  the  boy 
suffered  the  most  dreadful  torments ;  that  he  was  tortured 
with  a  devouring  thirst,  without  ever  being  able  to  reach 
the  edge  of  a  basin  or  pond  which  he  incessantly  tried  to 
accomplish.  The  Saint,  perceiving  by  this  vision  tliat  her 
young  brother  was  in  purgatory,  commenced  praying  for 
him  with  h  companions.  Some  days  after,  she  saw  her 
brother  agaiii,  but  this  time  he  appeared  clean  and  coni- 
fortable,  refreshing  himself,  and  roaming  at  will  over  the 
plain  where  the  basin  was.  Thus  did  the  Lord  vouchsafe 
to  show  how  efficacious  are  the  prajers  offered  up  for  the 

departed.  

ARTICLE    IL 

OF   PARADISE. 

Paradise  is  the  abode  of  the  glory  and  magnificence  of 
God,  being  the  dwelling-place  prepared  by  him  for  his  an- 
gels, and  also  for  men  who  live  in  his  fear,  and  die  in  his 
love ;  but  in  order  to  make  us  understand  how  immense 
tire  its  treasures,  and  how  ineffable  its  joys,  it  would  be 
necessary  that  one  of  the  blessed  souls  should  come  down 
from  heaven,  and  relate  to  us  its  wonders.  "  No,"  says  St. 
faul,  *'  the  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  the  ear  heard,  nor  hath 
it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  the  glory  that 
God  hath  prepared  for  his  elect."  Let  us  imagine,  if  we 
can,  the  transcendant  joy  of  a  soul  entering  into  heaven  ! — 
Oh !  what  a  moment  is  that,  when  the  miseries  of  this  life 
being  for  ever  at  an  end,  an  eternity  of  happiness  is  com- 
menced !  With  what  delight,  what  satisfaction,  what  trang- 
port  does  it  at  length  behold  its  God,  and  feel  that  its  fata 
is  for  ever  decided ;  its  happiness  secured ! 


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124  DVTt    OF   THE   CHRISTIAN 

What  joy  for  a  captive  when  he  has  recoveied  his  liberty, 
and  escaped  from  the  hard  yoke  of  slavery!  what  joy 
for  a  prisoner,  long  immured  in  the  depths  of  a  gloomy  duiv- 
geon,  when  he  again  beholds  the  light  of  day  !  what  joy  for 
one  who  has  been  long  tossed  on  the  stormy  ocean,  amid 
tempests  and  quicksands,  where  his  life  was  continually 
endangered,  when  he  finds  himself  safe  arrived  in  port! 

Faint,  imperfect  image,  any  of  these,  of  the  joy,  the  con- 
Bolation,  the  happiness  of  a  soul  which,  after  the  long  cap. 
tivity,  the  protracted  exile,  and  the  lingering  pains  of  this 
Yale  of  tears,  enters  at  lengt^nto  the  haven  of  safety,  and 
the  land  of  the  living,  there  to  dwell  for  ever,  amongst  the 
elect ;  to  dwell  with  God  himself,  the  Author  cf  its  being, 
the  term  of  its  desires,  the  centre  of  its  repose,  vitliout  any 
fear  of  again  losing  him — assured  of  possessing  him  for  aU 
eternity,  and  to  be  a  partaker  in  his  happiness ! 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  know  the  bliss  of  heaven,  we 
must  also  try  to  merit  it  by  the  practice  of  good  works. 
**  Narrow  is  the  way,"  says  Jesus  Christ,  let  us  then  try  all 
we  can  to  enter  therein.  However  great  may  be  our  ef- 
forts  to  obtain  that  end,  they  are  trifling  when  compared 
with  what  we  seek. 

What !  should  we  not  have  courage  to  do  ourselves  a 
little  violence,  to  deprive  ourseh'es  of  some  slight  gratifica- 
tion, or  to  overcome  human  respect,  in  view  of  happiness 
so  great !  Where  then  is  our  faith  ?  where  our  reason  ? — 
People  every  day  make  the  sacrifice  of  their  repose,  and 
of  their  very  health  for  the  fleeting  breath  of  honour ;  they 
labour  all  their  lives  to  amass  a  little  wealth,  knowing, 
nevertheless,  that  they  must  give  it  up  when  ('ying ;  and 
yet  they  would  do  nothing  for  that  heaven  which  is  to  be 
possessed  and  enjoyed  for  ever !  "  To  secure  an  eternity 
of  happiness,"  says  St.  Augustin,  ''an  eternity  of  labour 
♦and  toil  would  not  be  too  much  to  give,  and  yet  we  will  not 
give  it  even  a  moment."  A  short  p  rayer,  morning  and  even- 
ing,  is  considered  too  much ;  confession  is  a  fearful  task ; 
the  sanctification  of  the  Sabbath  is  sacrificed  to  human 
respect;  abstinence  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  to  sensuality; 
and  our  duties,  to  the  love  of  pleasure  !  And  yet  we  as 
pire  to  become  the  associates  of  the  martyrs — the  righteous 


TOWARDS  OOD. 


125 


— the  heroeb  of  religion !  Heaven  is  a  reward,  which  must 
be  earned ;  it  is  a  crown  which  must  be  won  in  the  com- 
bat ;  it  is  a  conquest  which  we  can  only  make  by  vioUuice ; 
thoso  who  know  how  to  conquer,  are  they  by  wiioni  it  is 
obtained.  Heaven  is  the  abode  of  sanctity,  and  its  gates 
are  only  open  to  innocence  or  to  perfect  penance.  If  we 
busy  ourselves  solely  with  the  vanities,  goods,  and  pleaaureo 
of  this  life,  we  are  neither  innocent,  nor  repentant,  and  are, 
therefore,  unworthy  of  being  admitted  into  heaven.  Ah  ! 
how  consoling  it  is  for  the  virtuous  Christian  to  know  that 
every  thing  he  does  for  God  shall  be  abundantly  recompens- 
ed ;  that  even  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  his  name,  or  one 
aspiration  of  the  heart  to  him,  shall  not  go  unrewarded ! — 
With  what  constancy  does  he  not  endure  the  trials  of  this 
life!  The  losses,  the  disgraces  which  throw  the  wicked 
into  despair,  become  for  the  just  so  many  sources  of  merit 
by  the  resignation  with  which  he  receives  them,  and  the 
hope  of  being  indemnified  for  them  in  heaven,  which  he 
regards  as  his  own  country.  Thither  it  is  that  he  daily 
sends  the  treasure  of  his  good  works ;  it  is  for  heaven  that 
he  labours,  and  for  heaven  that  he  adorns  his  «oui. 

If  we  only  knew  what  the  souls  in  heaven  possess 
and  enjoy,  and  how  much  they  can  there  glorify  Our 
Lord,  we  would  not  only  labour  with  assiduity  in  the  work 
of  salvation,  but  we  would  also  endeavour  to  procure  for 
others  the  same  advantage,  and  more  especially  our  own 
friends  and  relatives;  that  would  be  the  truest  and  best 
way  of  proving  our  love  for  them.  We  can  do  nothing 
more  advantageous  to  our  neighbours  or  more  glorious  to 
God.  "  He,"  says  St.  Chrysostom,  "  who  macerates  his 
body  by  alf  possible  austerities  has  less  merit  than  he  who 
gains  a  soul  for  God ;  it  is  something  greater  to  save  one's 
brethren  than  to  work  miracles."  It  was  this  zeal  for  the 
salvation  of  souls  which  has  induced  so  many  apostolical 
men  to  quit  country,  and  parents,  and  friends,  and  go,  at 
the  risk  of  their  lives,  into  lands  beyond  the  seas,  ir  order 
to  convert  Pagans,  and  baptise  their  children  in  danger  of 
death!  *  He,"  says  St.  John,  "who  gaineth  his  brother 
to  God,  shall  save  his  soul  and  cover  the  multitude  of  hii 


sins. 


» 


,*^ 


-2. 


t^SA 


126 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAIT 


^-  -i. 


1,1  >  1 


'*  V>j- 


•^/^■»  . 


J.'al    •     ;.  •        .      « 


Example. — M.  Boursoul  had  exercised  at  Rennes  for  u|> 
wards  of  forty  years,  the  functions  of  the  sacred  ministry, 
and  underwent,  even  to  tiie  very  close  of  his  career,  without 
relaxation,  or  ititerruption,  the  fatigue  of  the  pulpit,  and  the 
painful  task  of  presiding  at  the  tribunal  of  penance.  He 
wished  to  die.,  he  said,  with  his  arms  in  hand :  "  Ah !  if  I 
were  only  worthy  of  obtaining  that  favour  from  my  (iod! 
I  every  day  beg  of  him  to  terminate  my  life,  either  while  I 
aro  announcing  his  gospel  in  the  chair  of  truth,  or  exercising 
in  the  sacred  tribunal  the  ottice  of  his  mercy  and  justice !" 

A  prayer  Uke  that,  dictated  by  ardent  and  heroic  charity, 
deserved  to  be  heard  and  granted.  On  Easter  Sunday,  the 
4th  of  April,  1774,  M.  Boursoul  said  mass  at  five  o'clock, 
and  immediately  repaired  to  his  confessional.  About  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  he  proceeded  to  All  Saints,  a 
parish  of  Rennes,  where,  notwithstanding  his  great  age  and 
numerous  infirmities  he  had  that  year  preached  the  Lent.  At 
three  o'clock  he  ascended  the  pulpit  to  preach  on  the  glory 
and  happiness  of  the  Saints.  His  delivery  had  in  it  all  the 
vigour  and  impetuosity  of  youth ;  his  voice  was  unusually 
loud  and  distinct ;  his  motions  were  so  rapid,  and  his  ges- 
tures so  animated,  that  his  meaning  was  understood  almost 
before  he  had  given  it  utterance.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
first  part,  after  the  liveliest  and  most  touching  description  of 
the  beauties  of  Paradise,  and  the  joy  of  the  blessed  in  heaven, 
he  made  a  fresh  effort,  and  exclaimed :  "  No,  my  brethren ! 
it  will  never  be  given  to  the  weak  eye  of  mortal  here  below 
to  gaze  upon  the  splendour  of  the  divine  Majesty ; "  then 
lowering  his  voice,  "  It  is  in  heaven  that  we  shall  see  him 
face  to  face,  unveiled  before  us."  These  words  were  spoken 
in  a  deep,  penetrating  tone,  and  he  repeated  th^m  again  ia 
Latin  ;  Videbimus  eum  sicuti  est.  Just  as  he  finished  thesio 
words,  he  bowed  down  his  head  on  the  side  of  the  pulpit, 
and  expired.  The  church  was  even  unusually  crowded,  and 
th')  consternation  was  sudden  and  general :. some  cried  out 
aloud,  and  others  shed  tears ;  some  fainted  away,  and  others 
said  aloud,  "  He  is  a  Saint,  he  died  speaking  of  the  happi- 
ness of  heaven."  A  child  who  was  present  was  heard  to 
gay .  "  He  was  speaking  of  paradise  and  he  has  gone  there !" 

Carron,  Life  of  Bow  soul. 


TOWABDS    GOD.  ISH 

ARTICLE    HI. 

UV    HKLL. 

There  is  n.  hell,  that  ig  to  say,  a  place  of  torment  whew 
the  wicked  shall  he  eternally  punished  with  the  demons. 
This  truth,  like  all  the  others  of  our  creed,  has  been  revealed 
by  God.  Jesus  Christ  8peaks,in  the  Gospel,  of  a  fiery  fur- 
nace, a  place  of  torment  where  there  shall  be  nou<^ht  but 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  They  who  doubt  wiiether 
tliere  is  a  hell,  and,  under  that  pretext,  follow  the  course  cl 
thoir  disorderly  passions,  are  blinded  or  corrupt ;  they  risk 
the  penalty  of  an  eternity  of  torment  for  the  pleasure  of  a 
v'ngle  moment. 

The  [lains  of  hell  are  of  two  sorts,  that  of  loss,  and  that 
of  the  senses.  The  pain  of  loss  consists  in  the  privation  of 
the  sight  and  presence  of  God,  whereas  that  of  the  senses 
consists  of  the  most  violent  torments  suffered  without  the 
slightest  alleviation.  The  Sacred  Scriptures  depicts  these 
tortures  in  the  most  energetic  terms :  "  The  fire  shall  con- 
sume the  reprobate,"  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  the  worm  which 
gnaws  them  shall  never  die,  and  the  fire  which  devours  them 
iJidl  never  he  extinguished."  That  fire,  as  though  it  were 
conscious,  according  to  the  expression  of  St.  Augustin,  "  will 
attach  itself  to  the  corporal  members  which  have  served  aa 
the  instruments  of  sin,  and  also  to  the  intellectual  faculties, 
preying  incessantly  on  all  without  ever  destroying  them." 

All  the  damned  are  deprived  of  the  presence  of  God,  and 
they  suffer,  moreover,  the  most  fearful  torments,  always  pi  o- 
portioned  to  the  number  and  magnitude  of  their  crimes. 

It  is,  therefore,  an  article  of  faith  that  the  reprobate  shall 
for  ever  endure  the  most  cruel  tormenU  both  of  body  and 
soul,  plunged  in  total  despair,  and  without  any  sort  of  con- 
solation. 

The  pains  of  hell  shall  be  everlasting ;  a  belief  which  is 
founded  on  the  Scripture  itself.  Isaiah  iells  us  tliat  the 
worm  which  gnaweth  the  damned  shall  never  die,  and  that 
die  fire  which  consumes  them  shall  never  be  nuenched. 
"  The  reprobate  "  it  is  said  in  St.  Matthew  "  shaU  go  to  a 
place  of  everlasting  torment." 


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i28 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


But,  it  may  be  said  tliat  God  is  too  merciful  to  punish  for 
an  eternit}*  a  single  mortal  sin  which  was  perhaps  but  of  a 
moment's  duration.  The  answer  is  that  the  mercy  of  God 
is  not,  cannot  be  opposed  to  his  justice,  which  latter  requires 
that  a  man  who  dies  impenitent  should  be  eternally  punished; 
for,  in  the  first  place,  the  sin  of  that  man  is  in  some  measure 
eternal,  according  to  his  present  disposition,  since  he  chooses 
to  die  in  sin  which  mei'its  consequently  an  eternity  of  pun- 
ishment; 2nd,  mortal  sin  combats  and  destroys,  as  far  as  it 
is  able,  an  eternal  and  infinite  good,  it  ought  therefore  to  be 
punished  with  an  eternal  and  infinite  torment,  at  least  eternal 
in  its  duration,  seeing  that  mai  being  '^nite  is  not  capable 
of  sustaining  a  torment  that  is  in  its  nature  infinite  ;  3rd, 
human  justice  sometimes  punishes  a  crime  that  was  short  in 
its  duj'ation,  with  a  punishment  that  is  eternal  as  far  as  the 
life  of  man  is  concerned,  such  as  perpetual  exile,  which  im- 
plies that  were  the  exile  to  live  for  ever  he  would  be  for  ever 
banished  from  his  country.  Why,  then,  should  not  the  di- 
vine justice  banish  forever  from  the  celestial  mansions  a  sin- 
ner who  necessarily  shuts  himself  out  from  heaven  by  wil- 
fully dying  in  a  state  of  final  impenitence  ? 

Young  people,  be  not  deceived,  but  from  this  moment  take 
the  firm  resolution  of  avoiding  sin  which  would  inevitably 
lead  you  to  perdition  ;  do  not  expose  yourselves  to  so  dread- 
ful a  misfortune :  rather  make  the  sacrifice  of  all  worldly 
interests ;  if  you  save  your  soul,  all  is  gained  ;  if  you  lose 
it,  all  will  be  indeed  lost,  for  you,  even  had  you  gained  the 
entire  universe  while  here  on  earth ! 

Examples. — Some  young  libertines,  finding  themselves  in 
company  with  a  monk  of  a  very  austere  order,  began  to 
Nlly  him  on  his  way  of  living,  and  at  last  said  to  him  :  "  Ah 
father  !  you  will  be  well  caught  if  there  is,  after  all,  no 
heaven." — "  You  will  be  still  worse  taken  in,"  returned  the 
monk,  "  if  there  is  a  hell,  as  religion  teaches  us." 

The  Gospel  relates  that  the  rich  man  being  in  hell,  and 
seeing  Abraham  in  glory,  addressed  him  in  these  words; 
**  Father  Ab-aham  !  have  pity  on  me,  and  send  La/arus  that 
he  may  dip  his  finger  in  water  and  cool  my  tongue,  for  I  am 


TOWAKDS   GOD. 


129 


Buffering  in  these  flames  the  most  cruel  torments  !  " — "  My 
son/'  said  Abraham,  "  remember  that  thou  hadst  good  things 
during  thy  life,  and  Lazarus,  on  the  contrary,  fared  but  poor- 
ly .  now  he  is  in  joy,  and  thou  in  torment." 


CITAPTER    XIV. 

ON    THE    PROFESSION    OF    CHRISTIANITY,    AND    THE 
SIGN    OF    THE    CROSS. 

To  make  profession  of  our  faith  is  one  of  our  most  es- 
sential duties,  for  Jesus  Christ  will  not  recognize  as  hih 
cii3ci])les  those  who  have  been  ashamed  of  belonging  to  him, 
andshjaiik  from  declaring  their  faith  openly. 

One  of  the  best  means  of  showing  that  we  are  Christians, 
glorying  in  that  title,  is  to  make  religiously  upon  ourselves 
the  august  sign  of  the  cross. 

There  are  two  ways  of  making  the  sign  of  the  cross: 
llie  fiist  is  by  making  with  the  thumb  a  cross  on  the  fore- 
head, mouth,  and  bosom  ;  it  is  thus  that  the  priest  makes  it 
during  tlui  Mass  when  he  begins  to  read  the  Gospels,  and  all 
the  faithful  should  do  the  same. 

We  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  our  forehead,  to  show 
that  we  are  Christians,  and  not  ashamed  to  act  as  such ;  on 
the  mouth,  to  testify  that  we  are  ever  ready  to  make  pro- 
fession of  believing  in  God  and  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  on  the 
breast,  to  show  that  we  love  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  hearti- 
ly believe  what  we  profess. 

The  second  method  of  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  is  by 
olacing  the  right  hand  on  the  forehead,  then  on  the  chest, 
tlien  on  the  left  shoulder,  and  afterwards  on  the  right,  say- 
ing !  "  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
Uie  Holy  Ghost." 

When  making  the  sign  of  the  ^ross  we  profess  the  unity 
of  God  by  saying  these  words  in  the  namey  in  the  singular 
number ;  the  Trinity  of  persons,  by  naming  each  in  turn ; 
the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  and  that  of  the  Redemption 
by  making  the  form  of  the  cross  on  which  the  Son  of  God 
iiade  man,  died  for  us  ;  and  the  myitery  of  grace,  by  cax 


:■'„■    %•  -Si  ■     ^-  \   ,    •    ■ 


■•■•*     ••       J^ 


*-J.'t!,  I.e.,'-''!  ,  u' 

:•■...  t>'^'K^   '  •'4-- 

.'.■.^^.■,  .■■■-■  z;^^ 

;.:  •'^■t'  ':;.■  ;f ;  •• 

•I'  '  '■'■        !J*' 

■  >•  ■  •'  ; '*  ■■•< 

. ',  ,.•,':  •,(•  r  -.  »■  •■...''. 


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to^  ••;  •■^■•^ 


130  DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

ryinir  the  hand  from  the  left  side,  which  is  the  figure  of  sm, 
to  tlie  riglit,  which  represents  the  grace  merited  for  us  bj; 
Christ. 

The  words  "In  the  name  of  the  Father,"  signify  again: 
**  1  am  going  to  perform  this  action  by  order  of  the  Most 
Holy  Tiinity ;  I  will  obey  it  faithfully,  and  accomplish  its 
will ;  I  do  this  in  honour  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  desiring  to 
render  it  all  the  homage  of  which  I  am  capable.  I  am 
about  to  perform  this  action  with  the  assistance  of  the  Most 
Holy  T)inity ;  acknowledging  that  I  can  do  nothing  with- 
out  the  strength  which  comes  from  the  Father,  the  grace 
which  the  Son  has  merited  fcr  me,  and  the  light  which  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Holy  Ghost. 

We  should  not  fail  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  at  least 
morning  and  evening,  before  and  after  meals,  at  the  begin- 
ning and  end  of  our  prayers,  and  when  setting  al)0ut  any 
important  action  ;  it  is  a  great  means  of  drawing  down  upon 
ourselves  and  upon  our  undertakings  the  blessing  of  God. 
We  should  also  make  it,  at  least  on  our  heart,  when  we  find 
ourselves  exposed  to  danger  or  temptation,  to  the  end  that 
we  may  be  delivered  therefrom,  and  preserved  from  offend- 
ing God. 

Example. A   young  girl   blushed  while  making  the 

sign  of  the  cross  on  an  occasion  when  it  is  usual  to  make 
it,  and  that  because  a  stranger  was  present.  This  was  no- 
ticed by  a  certain  pious  person,  who  soon  made  her  ashamed 
of  her  cowardice,  and  want  of  love  for  Jesus  Christ: 
"  What ! "  said  he,  "  Jesus  was  not  ashamed  to  die  on  the 
cross  to  redeem  you,  yet  you  blush  to  form  on  yourseh  the 
august  sign  of  your  redemption ! "  He  added,  "  I  hope  that 
in  future  you  will  glory  in  belonging  to  your  adorable  Mas 
ten  May  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  bless  you, 
through  the  passion  and  death  of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ! " 

Labausse 


■    2'  - 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


131 


SECOND    TREATISE. 

ON  THE  LOVB  OF  GOD  AND  OUR  NEIGHBOUR. 


CHAPTER    I. 

OP    THE    COMMANDMENTS    IN    GENERAL. 

God  had  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  engraved  hia 
Law  on  the  heart  of  man ;  but,  as  the  impression  became 
fainter  as  time  passed  away,  he  resolved  to  publish  it  before 
the  multitude  of  the  Hebrews,  whom  he  had  chosen  to  be 
his  own  peculiar  people.  For  that  purpose ,  fifty  days  after 
their  going  forth  from  Egypt  he  called  to  the  top  of  Mount 
Sinai,  Moses,  whom  he  had  appointed  as  their  chief,  and 
made  known  to  him  his  design  of  contracting  with  his  peo- 
ple an  everlasting  covenant. 

Moses,  having  then  assembled  the  chiefs  of  the  nation, 
announced  to  them  the  orders  which  he  had  received  from 
the  Lord,  and  commanded  that  they  should  make  them 
known  to  the  people.  The  Hebrews,  when  they  had  learned 
what  was  the  will  of  God,  replied  with  acclamation  :  "  We 
shall  do  whatsoever  the  Lord  commands  us  to  do."  On  the 
third  day  after,  the  mountain  was  covered  with  a  thick  cloud ; 
there  was  lightning  and  thunder,  and  a  great  noise,  like  that 
of  a  number  of  trumpets,  which  filled  the  air  around.  The 
people  being  struck  with  terror,  hid  themselves  in  their  tents ; 
but  Moses  compelled  them  to  advance  as  far  as  the  boun- 
dary line  which  God  had  ordered  him  to  make  around  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  Then,  from  the  midst  of  the  cloud, 
was  heard  the  voice  of  God,  distinctly  pronouncing  the  ten 
commandments  :    "/  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  ^c,  tS^c." 

These  ten  commandments  were  afterwards  written  on 
two  tiiules  of  stone.  Thus  it  was  that  the  Lord,  having 
made  known  the  right  which  he  had  to  command  us,  mani- 
fested his  will,  and  commanded  that  it  should  be  observed. 

Thi,;  law  is  for  us,  as  well  as  for  the  Israelites ;  it  is  the 
natural  law,  the  law  of  all  society ;  it  comprises  the  duty  of 
all  men,  and  is  the  standard  of  comparison  which  will  decide 
their  eternal  fate. 


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132 


DUTY    OP    THE    CIIKISTIAW 


Tlie  three  first  precepts  of  the  Decalogue  point  out  our 
duty  towards  God,  and  the  seven  others,  that  which  we  owe 
to  our  neighbour ;  hence  the  love  of  God  and  our  neigh- 
bour is  the  abridgment  of  the  Law. 

Example. — A  venerable  old  man,  seeing  a  number  of 
children  pressing  around  him,  said  to  them  these  memora. 
ble  words,  which  they  never  could  forget :  "  My  little  chil. 
dren,  when  we  see  v.itli  what  strictness  monarchs  must 
have  their  laws  obsei-ved,  it  ought  to  remind  us  that  God 
will  not  permit  His  laws  to  be  violated  with  impunity.  So 
I  have  always  remarked,  1st.,  that  they  who  do  not  fear 
God  are  almost  invariably  miserable  ;  2nd.,  that  work  clone 
on  Sunday  has  never  made  any  one  the  richer ;  3rd.,  that 
ill-gotten  wealtli  lias  tiever  profited  the  possessor ;  4lh., 
tliai  giving  alms  has  never  made  any  one  the  poorer ;  5th., 
that  morning  and  eveiiing  prayer  has  never  retarded  any 
work ;  and  6th.,  that  a  rebellious  and  disorderly'  child  has 
never  been  a  happy  or  a  fortunate  one."  Petit  Souvenir 


CHAPTER   11. 

OF    THE    FIRST    COMMANDMENT    OF    ,'^0D. 

/  am  the  Lord,  thy  God,  S^c. 

Tins  first  commandment  ordains:  1st.,  that  we  should 
believe  in  God;  2nd.,  hope  in  him;  3rd.,  love  him  with 
all  our  heart;  4th.,  adore  but  him  alone, 


ARTICLE   I. 

OF    FAITH. 

Faith  is  a  supernatural  and  theological  virtue,  by  which 
we  believe  all  the  iruilis  that  the  Church  teaches,  because 
that  God,  who  can  neither  deceive  nor  be  deceived,  has 
revealed  them. 

These  truths  are  contained  in  the  sacred  Scripture  and 
in  tradition.  What  we  call  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the 
books  vvhich  have  been  written  by  the  inspiration  of  the 


TOWARDS   OOD.  133 

Holy  Ghost :  that  is  to  say,  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 
By  tradition  is  meant  the  word  of  God,  which,  without 
Laving  been  penned  down  by  those  to  whom  it  was  reveal- 
ed, has  nevertheless  come  down  to  us  by  vocal  transmission 
from  *he  Apostles  and  their  successors.  It  is  to  the  Church 
that  the  deposit  of  Scripture  and  tradition  has  been  confided  ; 
it  is  she  who  determines  its  true  signification,  and  proposes  it 
to  the  faithful  by  an  infallible  judgment  and  with  supreme  au- 
thority. God  has  given  her  that  power,  and  he  has  prom- 
ised to  preserve  her  from  all  error,  and  to  be  with  her  in  her 
teaching,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  We  ought,  there- 
fore,  to  believe  all  that  the  Church  teaches,  and  there  is  no 
salvation  for  him  who  has  not  faith.  "He  who  believes 
and  is  baptised  shall  be  saved,"  says  Jesus  Christ,  "  and  he 
who  believeth  not  shall  be  condemned." 

Faith  is  then  indispensably  necessary  in  order  to  be  justi- 
fied and  to  be  saved.  Faith  does  honour  to  God,  rendering 
homage  to  Him  as  the  supreme  truth  ;  it  is,  as  St.  Paul  says, 
a  sacrifice,  and  an  oflTering  which  we  make  to  Him,  by  sub- 
mitting our  mind  to  his  infallible  word,  and  silencing  all  our 
objections,  our  prejudice  and  repugnance,  in  order  to  be- 
lieve, without  any  shadow  of  doubt,  on  the  authority  of  that 
divine  word,  that  which  is  not  perceptible  to  our  senses, 
and  which  our  minds  cannot  comprehend. 

We  should  frequently  make  acts  of  faith  on  the  truths  of 
our  holy  religion,  in  order  to  testify  to  God  our  submission 
to  his  revealed  word. 

That  submission,  which  we  owe  to  the  word  of  God  and 
to  the  teaching  of  the  Church,  is  so  much  the  more  reason- 
able, that  we  every  day  believe,  on  the  testimony  of  men, 
things  which  we  have  never  S3en,  and  others  which  we  can- 
not comprehend,  although  thej  may  strike  our  senses. 

Is  not  the  testimony  of  God,  who  can  neither  be  deceived 
nor  deceive  us,  more  worthy  of  belief  than  that  of  man,  or 
even  than  the  ividence  of  our  own  senses,  and  of  our  mind, 
whose  faculties  are  in  themselves  so  limited  'i 

Nothing,  then,  is  more  rational  than  to  believe,  on  the 
word  of  God,  things  which  we  do  not  understand ;  in  that 
case  we  believe,  not  because  we  comprehend,  but  because 
God  has  said  it :  faith  is  founded  on  the  word  of  God,  and 

12 


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i:    :'fe' 


>  •" 


134 


DUTY    OF   THE   CHRISTIAN 


not  on  our  own  intelligence.  We  could  never  know  the 
mysteries  of  faith  but  by  revelation:  God  has  revealed 
them,  and  he  has,  moreover,  established  an  infallible  au- 
thority to  propose  them  to  us.  As  he  calls  all  men  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  he  has  also  provided  means  of  as. 
certaining  it,  means  which  place  it  within  the  reach  ol  all 
To  be  a  Christian  we  only  require  to  be  docile,  and  our  io- 
cility  needs  not  to  be  a  blind  and  stupid  credulity,  but  an 
enlightened  submission,  founded  on  motives  the  strongest, 
and  the  most  capable  of  convincing  a  rational  mind.  Public 
facts,  and  shining  miracles  are  incontestible  proofs  which 
establish  the  truth  of  religion. 

**  Jesus  Christ,"  says  St.  Auj'ustin,  "  has  demanded  faith 
of  men,  but  before  he  demanded  it  he  had  earned  it  by  his 
miracles."  Of  this  proof,  he  himself  reminded  the  Jews, 
Baying  to  them :  "  The  things  which  I  do  in  my  Father's 
name  render  testimony  of  me  ;  if  I  do  not  the  works  of  my 
Father  believe  me  not ;  but  if  I  do  them,  even  though  ye 
believe  not  in  me,  believe  in  my  works."  Miracles  are  then 
the  voice  of  God,  and  no  one  can,  without  impiety,  reject 
a  doctrine  confirmed  by  miracles ;  for  it  would  be  an  im- 
pious absurdity  to  say  that  God  had  displayed  his  almighty 
power  to  authorize  a  falsehood. 

We  must,  then,  believe  all  the  truths  that  the  Church 
teaches,  since  to  reject  even  one  article  would  be  to  lose 
the  faith. 

It  is  to  sin  against  faith  if  we  voluntarily  doubt  any 
of  the  truths  which  it  teaches,  and  we  expose  ourselves  lo 
such  sin  when  we  have  the  temerity  to  read  impious  or  he- 
retical books,  for  "  he  who  loveth  the  danger  shall  perish 
therein."  We  also  sin  against  faith  when,  through  human 
fear,  we  deny  it  with  our  mouth,  although  the  belief  may 
Btill  exist  in  the  heart :  the  martyrs  chose  rather  to  suffer 
all  soils  of  torments,  and  even  death  itself,  rather  than  dis- 
semble their  faith  before  tyrants.  Finally,  we  sin  against 
faith  when  we  neglect  to  seek  instruction  on  those  truths 
whose  knowledge  is  necessary  to  salvation.  It  is  through 
this  negligence  that  many  Christians  live  in  ignorance  of 
that  which  they  ought  to  know,  and  thus  commit  many  sins 
which  they  do  not  even  perceive. 


TOWARDS    GOP. 


136 


Faith  is  of  several  kinds :  ■namelj,  Ijuman  or  natural 
faith,  whereby  we  believe  on  the  testimony  of  men ;  divine 
or  supernatural  faith,  whereby  we  believe  on  the  word  of 
God ;  lively  or  practical  faith,  which  is  accompanied  by 
charity  and  good  works ;  dead  or  theoretical  faith,  which 
bears  no  such  fruit ;  infused  faith,  which  we  receive  in  bap- 
tism ;  acquired  faith,  which  is  the  abundance  of  divine  un- 
derstanding which  we  obtain  by  the  practice  of  virtue  ;  im- 
plicit faith,  which  makes  us  believe  generally  all  the  truths 
which  the  Church  teaches ;  and  explicit  faith,  by  which  we 
ought  to  believe  certain  truths  distinctly,  such  as  the  Mys- 
teries of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity,  the  Incarnation,  and  the 
Redemption  ;  the  four  <»nds  of  man ;  what  relates  to  the 
Commandments,  the  Sacraments,  Prayer,  &;c. 

Example. — In  a  certain  company  where.  Providence  had 
so  ordained  it,  that  an  ecclesiastic  was  present,  several  young 
persons  we*-  playing  the  skeptic,  and  retailing  with  infinite 
relish  the  tirades  of  J.  J.  Rousseau  against  the  divinity  of 
Christ :  "  Gentlemen  ! "  said  the  ecclesiastic,  "  you  do  not 
now  believe,  but  the  day  will  come  when  you  shall ;  if  not  in 
time,  it  will  be  in  eternity.  You  shall  then  believe  as  the 
devils  do ;  they  believe,  and  yet  are  tormented ! " 

Merault. 

ARTICLE    II. 

ON    HOPE. 

Hope  is  a  supernatural  and  theological  virtue  by  which 
we  expect  with  a  firm  confidence  in  the  goodness  of  God, 
all  the  blessings  which  he  has  promised  us. 

How  great  they  are,  these  blessings! — and  how  precious  ! 
Nothing  less  than  the  eternal  possession  of  God  himself; 
that  happiness  is  infinitely  above  ourselves  and  our  efforts, 
hence  it  is  by  his  own  pure  mercy  alone  that  he  has  promis- 
ed it  to  us.  Of  ourselves  we  are  not  able  to  merit  such  hap- 
piness ;  but  God,  who  loves  "s  notwithstanding  our  misery 
and  our  unvi^orthiness,  engages  to  bestow  upon  us  the  graces 
necessary  to  obtain  it :  he  has  given  us  his  only  Son,  to  the 
end  that  whoever  believes  in  him  may  not  perish,  but  have 
life  eternal.     Tbe  sight  of  our  miseries  should  not  then  pre 


V     .  'V 


.1.V       ■     '  ;. 

'■'■■   '^  'i  ■.;• 


■.<^  ■:•■*'  -v;  . 

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•.;  ,  -c-^iy  ',.  ■■■>      ,  > 


>r      :•• 


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■\'  .•I:.*-.--'!/ 


'    ':>'■ ;  ■■•■I! 


130 


DUTY    OF    THE    CIIHISTIAN 


Vent  us  from  hoping  in  God,  and  looking  for  the  possession 
of  the  promised  })lossing!5.  His  Ahnighty  power,  to  wiiich 
nothing  is  impossible :  his  mercy  which  is  infinite ;  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ  which  are  inexhaustible  ;  tht  virtue 
of  his  grace,  his  promises,  and  his  having  commanded  us  to 
hope  in  Him;  these  are  the  foundations  of  the  Christian's 
ope.  After  such  and  so  many  assurances  it  would  be  hm 
insult  offered  to  God  not  to  hope  in  him.  As  God  will  have 
us  believe  when  he  speaks,  so  also  he  will  have  us  confide  in 
him  when  he  promises;  hence,  our  confidence  ought  to  be 
absolute  and  unchanging.  No,  Christian  hope  is  not  waver- 
ing or  uncertain  :  it  is  a  firm  confidence,  founded  on  an  im- 
movable basis.  St.  Paul  compares  it  to  a  firm  and  secure 
anchor  which  holds  the  vessel  fast  amid  waves  and  tempests. 
This  hope  is  never  disappoiated  when  it  is  humbh,  sincere, 
and  nersevering,  for  God  never  breaks  his  promise.  Heaven 
and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  his  word  remaineth  for  ever 
We  are  then  assured  that  if  we  do  not  want  confidence  in 
God,  he  will  grant  us  all  that  he  has  promised. 

Christian  hope  is  combatted  by  two  opposite  vices:  des- 
pair on  the  one  side,  and  presumption  on  the  other.  We  siu 
against  Hope  when  we  despair  of  salvation ;  such  was  the 
sin  of  Cain,  who,  having  killed  his  brother,  said:  "  My  in- 
iquity is  too  great  to  be  forgiven."  Despair  is  a  sin  the  most 
horrible  in  the  sight  of  God,  because  it  outrages  his  good- 
ness, the  one  of  all  his  perfections  which  he  most  loves  to 
manifest  to  men,  and  to  which  he  desires  that  we  should 
render  homage  by  an  unbounded  confidence. 

"A  mother  may  abandon  her  child  ;  but  I  will  never  aban- 
don  those  who  put  their  trust  in  me,"  says  the  Lord 
"  Though  your  sins  were  red  as  scarlet,  and  your  soul  black 
as  coal,  I  will  never  cast  you  off*  when  you  seek  me  with  con. 
trition  and  confidence."  There  is  no  sin  which  our  Lord  haa 
not  expiated  by  his  death,  and  for  which  ho  has  not  merited 
pardon.  He  ever  cries  aloud  that  his  blood  was  shed  for  us. 
That  good  Father  requires  only  that  his  child  may  return  to 
him ;  our  repentance  revives  all  his  tenderness ;  but,  on  our 
side,  let  us  never  abuse  his  patience  and  his  kindness,  in  or 
der  to  offend  him  with  more  freedom,  -^nd  to  persevere  ia 
our  wickedness. 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


131 


We  alsu  Bill  agtiinst  Hope  when  presuming  on  tfie  mercy 
of  (^o<l,  or  relying  on  our  own  ctrength,  we  postpone  our 
conversion ;  such  is  the  ma  of  those  who,  forming  for  them- 
selvo-  ti  false  idea  of  the  mercy  of  God,  ])l'I1ovo  that  they 
may  save  their  "souls  without  ceasing  to  offend  liim ;  or  who, 
counting  on  a  long  life,  persuade  themselves  that  it  will 
Buflice  to  think  of  the  business  of  salvation  when  the  sea- 
6011  of  youth  shall  have  passed  away.  Beware  of  saying : 
"  Tiie  mercy  of  God  is  great ;  He  will  forgive  me  the  mul- 
titude of  my  sins."  How  many  have  been  deceived  by 
that  false  confidence!  They  reckoned  on  the  future,  and 
lo!  there  was  to  be  no  future  for  them.  Let  us  shun  that 
illusion ;  let  us  not  defer  giving  ourselves  to  God,  for  we 
know  not  what  will  be  the  duration  of  our  life.  May  not 
defth  surprise  us  at  any  moment  ?  It  is  true  that  one  sin- 
ner was  converted  at  his  last  moment,  but  it  was  a  miracle 
operated  at  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  woe  to  him 
wliose  salvation  depends  on  a  miracle! 

Again,  we  sin  against  Hope  when  we  lack  submission  to 
the  guidance  of  Providence  in  the  affairs  of  this  world,  be- 
lieving ourselves  unhappy  when  we  sustain  losses,  or  afflic- 
tions, murmuring  against  God,  or  wishing  ourselves  dead, 
which  is  in  itself  a  grievous  crime.  And  how  can  we  thus 
want  confidence  in  so  good  a  Father,  who  assures  us  that 
the  very  hairs  of  our  heads  are  numbered,  nud  that  one  of 
them  cannot  fall  without  his  pormission  ? 

All  that  happens  to  us  in  this  world  is  for  our  greater 
good,  and  may  merit  for  us  eternal  happiness ;  let  us  well 
understand  that  health,  riches,  and  other  wordly  advantages 
may  be  injurious  to  our  salvation,  and  that  it  is  good  to 
gufl'er  a  privation  of  any  of  them  when  God  wills  it  so ; 
let  us  also  be  persuaded  that  nothing  is  yet  lost  for  us  whilst 
it  is  still  permitted  us  to  hope  for  heaven. 

In  order  to  increase  and  enliven  our  Hope,  we  should 
often  make  acts  thereof,  especially  when  we  find  ourselves 
exposed  to  any  trial. 

Example. — God  permitted  St.  Francis  of  Sales  to  be 
visited  by  a  very  painful  temptation.  When  he  was  finish- 
ing his  studies  in  Paris,  being  then  but  sixteen  years  of  age, 
the  enemy  of  salvation  suggested  to  his  imagination  thai 


-'^i.^ 


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138 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAN 


he  was  of  the  number  of  the  reprobate.  This  temptation 
made  such  an  impression  on  his  mind,  that  he  lost  his  rest, 
and  could  neither  eat  nor  drinit ;  his  whole  frame  withered 
away,  and  he  every  day  became  weaiter  and  weaker.  FIIr 
preceptor  seeing  him  iall  away  so,  and  perceiving  that  he 
ceased  to  taite  pleasure  in  any  thing,  repeatedly  inquired  as 
JO  the  cause  of  so  remarkable  a  change  ;  but  the  devil,  who 
iad  fdled  his  mind  with  this  illusion,  was  one  of  those  who 
are  called  dumb,  because  of  the  silence  in  which  they  keep 
those  whom  Ihey  torment. 

He  saw  himself  at  the  same  time  bereft  of  all  the  sweet- 
ness of  divine  love.  The  blissful  calm  which  he  had  en- 
joyed  before  that  storm  came  on,  now  arose  before  hig 
mental  vision  and  redoubled  his  unhappiness.  "  It  was  then 
in  vain,"  said  he  to  himself,  "  that  heavenly  hope  nourished 
me  with  the  expectation  of  being  one  day  replenished  with 
the  delights  of  the  house  of  God,  and  immersed  in  the 
ocean  of  his  pleasures  !  Oh  lovely  tabernacles  of  the  hea- 
venly courts !  shall  I  then  never  see  you  ?" 

He  remained  an  entire  month  in  this  anguish  and  bitter- 
ness  of  heart,  which  was  like  unto  the  pangs  of  death,  ot 
ihe  greatest  torment  that  can  be  endured  in  this  world. — 
His  days  were  spent  in  sighing  and  groaning,  and  by  night 
he  watered  his  couch  with  his  tears.  At  last  having,  by  a 
divine  inspiration,  entered  the  Church  of  St.  Stephen  to  in- 
voke the  mercy  of  God  on  account  of  his  miserable  condi- 
tion, and  throwing  himself  on  his  knees  before  an  image 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  he  besought  that  Mother  of  Mercy 
to  be  his  advocate  with  God,  and  to  obtain  from  his  good- 
ness that  "  if  he  was  so  unhappy  as  to  be  destined  to  hate 
him  for  all  eternity,  he  might  at  least  love  him  during  his 
life  with  all  his  heart." 

A  prayer  so  far  removed  from  the  sentiments  of  a  repro- 
bate was  instantly  granted  :  the  shades  which  had  gathered 
over  his  mind  were  suddenly  dispelled,  and  he  was  restored 
to  his  wonted  joy  and  peace. 


ARTICLE  III. 

ON    CHARITY. 

Charity  is  a  supernatural  and  theological  virtue,  b; 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


130 


which  we  lovo  God  above  all  things  ;  because  he  is  inflnito- 
ly  good  and  infinitely  amiable  ;  an^  our  neighbour  as  our- 
selves  for  the  love  of  (iod.  "  This  is  the  first  and  greatest 
commandment,"  says  Jesus  Christ. 

Hut  was  it  necessary  that  (iod  should  command  us  to 
love  him  ?  Is  he  not,  of  himself,  supremely  amiable ;  do 
not  his  infinite  perfections,  his  goodness  to  us,  the  favours 
with  which  he  loads  us,  tlie  advantages  which  we  find  in 
attaching  ourselves  to  him — do  they  not  all  engage  us  to 
love  him  ?  He  has  created  us  ;  he  preserves  and  supports 
us;  he  has  formed  heaven  and  earth  and  all  creatures  for 
our  use ;  does  not  all  that  ohUf^e  us  to  love  him  ?  God  has 
done  for  us  even  more  than  all  that  in  the  order  of  salvjv- 
tion ;  he  has  given  us  his  own  Son.  He  sacrificed  him  for 
our  redemption  ;  he  has  admitted  us  to  the  number  of  his 
children ;  every  d.ay,  and  every  moment  he  sustains  us  by 
his  grace  ;  he  intends  for  us,  when  this  life  is  past,  an  eternal 
felicity  in  the  mansions  of  glory :  how,  after  all  that,  can 
we  refuse  him  our  love  ?  What!  is  it  necessary  to  prove  to 
a  child  that  he  ought  to  love  his  father  ?  Is  not  that  senti- 
ment inherent  in  the  heart  of  man  ?  Nay,  do  we  not  cher- 
ish, with  inexpressible  tenderness,  even  the  memor}'  of  a 
father  ?  And  is  not  (rod,  then,  our  father  ?  Is  there  any 
parent  so  deserving-  of  that  name  as  he,  or  was  there  ever  a 
better  father  ?  Add  to  all  this  the  sweets  which  we  enjoy 
in  the  exercise  of  this  holy  love.  Oh  !  what  pure  and  per- 
fect joy — what  soothing  consolation  does  it  not  diffuse 
through  the  heart  wherein  it  lives  and  burns?  No,  all  the 
pleasures  which  this  world  has  to  oflfer  are  not  to  be  com- 
pared to  that  delicious  peace  which  God  infuses  into  the 
soul  that  loves  him.  Let  us,  then,  attach  ourselves  to  God, 
and  let  us  hasten  to  give  him  up  our  heart  before  sin  has 
rendered  it  unworthy  of  beiog  presented  to  him  !  We  can- 
not be  happy  but  in  loving  him,  and  the  more  we  love  him, 
the  happier  we  shall  be 

Yes,  God  alone  can  constitute  our  happiness  :  a  man  to 
whom  God  is  wanting  is  unhappy,  even  iii  the  midst  of 
riches,  glory  and  pleasure ;  he  desires  every  thing,  and  is 
never  content.  But  he  who  loves  (xod  finds  in  that  holj 
'ove  consolations  which  make  up  to  him  for  all  the  rest — 


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V.     '.: 


.•  ••- 


140 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAN 


His  desires  are  satisfied,  his  lioart  is  tranquil,  and  nothing 
pan  trouble  the  calm  of  his  soul :  even  in  poverty,  ho  ib 
rich ;  in  humiliation  he  is  great ;  in  sufferings,  he  is  over- 
whelmed with  joy.  We  should,  therefore,  love  Cod  with 
all  our  heart;  he  is  our  first  beginning  and  our  last  end. 
That  great  Master  will  have  it  that  we  give  him  our  whole 
heart ;  he  must  be  preferred  before  all  creaturee ;  we  n)ust 
be  disposed  to  lose  all  rather  than  his  grace,  and  to  love 
nothing  but  through  and  for  him. 

It  is  to  sin  against  this  commandment  to  make  a  su* 
preme  good  of  any  thing  else  but  God,  as  the  ambitious  do 
of  honours,  the  miser  of  riches,  the  voluptuous  of  sensual 
pleasures.  The  love  of  God  must  also  be  active :  "  If  any 
one  loveth  me,"  says  our  Lord,  "he  will  keep  my  Com- 
inandments.*'  In  fact,  we  desire  to  please  those  whom  we 
love ;  and  the  means  of  pleaf?ing  them  is  to  do  their  will,  to 
atjcomplish  faithfully  all  that  they  require  of  us,  and  often 
to  perform  some  act  which  proves  the  sincerity  of  that  love 
— we  ought  also  to  prove  it  by  works,  for  the  love  of  God 
cannot  be  idle ;  it  is  a  fire  which  never  ceases  to  burn,  for 
if  it  once  fail  to  animate  the  heart,  then  it  is  indeed  extinct 

But  it  is  not  loving  God  enough,  merely  to  observe  the 
first  commandment ;  we  must  also  love  our  neighbour,  that 
is  to  say,  we  must  wish  for  him  and  procure  for  him,  if 
possible,  the  same  good  as  we  would  wish  for  ourselves: 
"  For,"  says  Jesus  Christ,  "  these  two  loves  cannot  be 
separated,"  and  he  wills  that  this  should  be  the  mark  by 
which  his  disciples  are  known.  He  who  loves  not  his  neigh- 
bour, therefore,  is  no  longer  a  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ ;  he 
has  renounced  his  Gospel  and  his  promises.  Thus,  in  the 
happy  days  of  the  early  Christians,  there  was  seen  to  reign 
iimongst  the  liuttjful  the  most  intimate  union  and  the  most 
tender  chanty,  so  that  they  had  but  one  heart  and  one 
soul.  "  6eb<^)id  '  "  h  lid  the  Pagans  themselves,  "  how  they 
love  each  other ! "  St.  Paul  reduced  all  our  duties  to  our 
neighbour  to  that  single  precept ;  and,  in  fact,  if  we  really 
love  our  nei^'hbour.  ^e  shall  be  very  unlikely  to  do  any 
thing  in  his  re  ard  that  is  forbidden  by  the  other  couimand- 
menits ;  we  w  ill  not  sp  ak  injuriously  of  or  to  him :  w<'  will 
out  •tfer  him  any  violeri^-e ;  we  will  do  him  no  wrong  ;  we 


■     A 


TONVMJDS    0OI». 


ur 


reign 


will  not  (leceivo  him ;  but  will  on  the  contrur)^  do  him  all  thi. 
good  we  can. 

But  wo  must  not  iinagino  that  the  word  nrighhour  si{j;ni 
fies  those  only  with  whom  wo  have  some  tie  of  kindred  o« 
of  friendship  :  "  If  you  love,"  says  Our  Fjord,  "  only  thof»t- 
who  love  you,  what  do  you  in  tliat,?  Tiie  ra«(ans  (h)  nt 
much."  By  our  noighlxiur  we  are  then  to  understand  ah 
nuMi,  because  thev  have  all  the  same  Creator  and  the  sani« 
origin;  because  they  all  compose  but  one  single  family,  of 
whom  God  is  the  father;  because  they  are  all  created  foi 
the  same  end,  which  is  eternal  felicity  ;  and  have  all  been 
purchased  at  the  same  price,  which  is  the  blood  of  Ji'su& 
Christ,  who  died  for  all  men.  This  love  ought,  therefore, 
to  embrace  even  our  enemies,  on  which  head  the  {)recej)t  it 
most  distinct  and  formal.  "  I  say  unto  you  :  Love  your  ene- 
mies, do  good  to  those  who  hate  you,  pray  for  those  wh(. 
persecute  and  revile  you  ;  return  good  for  evil,  that  you 
may  be  like  unto  your  heavenly  Father,  who  mnketh  his 
sun  to  shine  on  the  just  and  the  unjust."  Beware  of  say- 
mg  that  it  suffices  not  to  wish  ill  to  those  who  hate  us  ;  and 
that  to  love  them,  to  have  care  for  them,  to  render  them 
service,  is  impossible.  No,  with  grace,  it  is  not  impossible  ; 
and  God  gives  that  grace  to  those  who  ask  it  of  him.  God 
commands  it,  and  he  commands  nothing  impossible;  but  it 
is  his  will  that  w.  ^.hould  do  all  we  can,  with  the  strength 
which  he  has  'ven  us,  and  that  we  should  ask  him  for  what 
we  require  o\y^  *iid  above. 

We  show  ?hat  we  love  our  neighbour  when  we  exercise 
towards  hisn  the  spiritual  and  corporal  works  of  mercy. 
The  spiritual  works  of  mercy  are,  to  bring  back  to  virtue 
those  who  ^are  wandering  away  from  her  paths,  to  instruct 
the  ignomnt,  to  give  good  advice  to  those  who  stand  in 
need  of  it,  to  console  the  afflicted,  to  pardon  injuries,  to  bear 
them  with  patience,  and  to  pray  for  the  living  and  the  dead. 
The  corporal  works  of  mercy  are,  to  give  fo.od  to  the  hungry, 
to  clothe  tlie  naked,  to  ransom  prisoners,  to  visit  the  sick 
and  those  who  are  in  prison,  to  harbour  strangers,  and  to 
bury  the  dead. 

Examples. — Tho  Apostle  St.  Paul  may  bo  proposed  as  ai« 


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|42  DUTf    OF    THE    CHKISTIAN 

excellent  model  of  the  perfect  love  of  Christ,  who,  having 
destined  him  for  a  great  work  and  to  suffer  much,  had  giveu 
to  him  a  great  mind,  great  courage  and  great  charity 
"  The  charity  of  Christ  presseth  us,"  says  he  in  one  of  his 
epistles,  "  considering  that  he  died  for  all ;  that  they  also 
who  live  may  not  now  live  to  themselves  but  to  him  who  died 
for  them,  and  rose  again."  "  I  live  "  says  he  again,  "  but  it 
i^  no  more  I  who  live,  but  Jesus  Christ  who  liveth  in  me. 
What  then,  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  pf  Jesus  Christ  ? 
Shall  it  be  affliction,  or  poverty,  or  hunger,  or  nakedness, 
perils  or  persecutions,  the  sword  or  violence?  Amid  all 
these  evils  we  remain  victorious  because  of  Him  who  hath 
loved  us  ;  for  I  am  assured  that  neither  death,  nor  life, 
nor  powers,  nor  any  thing  created  shall  ever  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  Our  Lord.  If  any  one  love 
not  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema." 

St.  Paulinus,  expended  considerable  wealth  (even  to  im- 
poverishing himself),  in  relieving  the  necessities  of  the  poor, 
and  having  no  longer  any  thing  to  give,  he  sold  himself  for 
a  slave,  in  order  to  procure  freedom  for  the  son  of  a  poor 
widow  who  had  come  to  implore  his  charity.  St.  Gregory 
the  Great,  who  mentions  this  fact  in  his  Dialogues,  adds  that 
St.  Paulinu«  worked  as  a  slave  in  a  garden,  until  his  master 
having  discovered  his  merit,  set  him  at  liberty  and  sent  him 
home  again.  Godescard,  vol,  v.  page  445. 


ARTICLE   IV. 


ON    ADORATION. 


The  fourth  duty  which  is  compris'^d  in  the  first  command- 
Biont,  is  that  of  adoring  God,  or  rendering  to  him  thathom- 
Hge  aud  worship  which  we  owe  to  him,  as  the  Sovereign  Lord 
of  all  things.  ^  There  are  three  distinct  sorts  of  worship, 
that  of  Latria  which  is  due  to  God,  that  of  Hyperdulia 
which  we  owe  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  that  of  Dulia  which 
we  pay  to  the  Saints. 

Adoration  is  a  profound  humiliation  of  the  soul  before  the 
Supreme  Majesty ;  before  Him  who  by  his  word  created  hea* 


1  ?■  ■;•"  *ri< 


and* 
hom- 
Lord 
rship, 
rdulia 

hich 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


143 


ven  and  earth,  at  whose  glance  the  nations  melt  away  like 
wax ;  under  whose  steps  the  mountains  bend  respectfullj  •, 
before  that  God  who  sends  thunder  and  tempest  as  the 
ministers  of  his  wrath,  and  chains  them  down  again  when 
it  seems  good  to  him  in  his  mercy.  On  beholding  the  great- 
ness of  God,  the  adoring  soul  humbles  itself,  is  confounded^ 
and  as  it  were  annihilated  in  his  presence ;  it  humbly  ap- 
knowledges  its  dependence  and  its  servitude ;  it  praises  and 
blesses  the  holy  name  of  God ;  it  returns  thanks  for  all  the 
mercies  and  favours  it  has  received  from  him,  beseeching 
him  for  all  that  it  still  requires,  and  which  it  only  expects 
from  his  bounty  ;  finally,  it  offers,  and  consecrates  itself  to 
him  without  reserve,  to  accomplish  in  all  things,  his  holy 
will. 

These  internal  sentiments  display  themselves  in  the  ex- 
terior  by  corresponding  actions,  such  as  genuflections,  pray- 
ers, the  offering  of  our  actions,  and  above  all  by  the  sacri- 
lice  of  the  Mass,  which  is,  of  all  acts  of  adoration,  the 
most  excellent  and  the  most  august.  We  should,  then, 
render  to  God  every  day,  particularly  moi'niug  and  evening, 
the  tribute  of  praise  and  adoration  which  he  requires  from 
us.  It  is  by  tliat  religious  exercise  that  we  should  begin  and 
end  the  day.  Let  us  never  fail  to  acquit  ourselves  of  a  duty 
BO  important  and  so  essential ;  let  our  first  thought,  the  first 
movement  of  the  heart  be  to  Him  who  has  created  us,  who  still 
preserves  us,  and  who  every  day  bestows  new  favours  u[)on 
us.  Let  our  first  action  be  to  prostrate  ourselves  before  tho 
Sovereign  Majesty,  to  adore  him,  to  thank  him  for  his  bless- 
ings, to  devote  ourselves  to  his  service,  and  to  ask  of  hinj 
those  graces  of  which  we  stsmd  in  need.  Before  and  after 
each  meal,  let  us  also  adore  that  tender  Father,  who  opens 
his  bountiful  hand,  and'  replenishes  his  children  with  every 
blossing ;  never  let  a  false  shame  prevent  us  from  fulfilliiiu 
this  'niperative  duty.  Does  a  child  blush  to  testify  his  gtati- 
tude  for  every  new  proof  of  his  father's  tenderness  ? — At  tb'j 
end  of  the  day,  NVe  ought  to  renew  the  homage  which  wo 
offered  in  the  morning  to  our  God.  Let  us  then  hutnblo 
ourselv^is  in  his  presence  for  the  faults  we  may  have  com- 
mitted ;  let  us  ask  his  pardon  for  them,  and  thank  him  fof 
tlie  grace*  which  he  has  vouchsafed  to  grant  us.     Let  u? 


•  •■^.,  ■*,>'  .,.•■*■> 

,  «■  .<>'••      .■:  •.'  *•;' 

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144 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHKISTIAN 


remember  notwithstanding,  tliat  the  formula  of  prayers  and 
t)ther  exterior  acts  of  piety  are  but  the  body  of  religion ; 
tJie  interior  sentiment  of  adoration  being  the  soul  thereof, 
Without  this  disposition  of  the  heart,  words  and  all  exterior 
acts  must  fail  in  pleasing  God,  and  would  but  draw  upon 
OS  that  reproach  which  he  formerly  addressed  to  the  Jewish 
people :  "  This  people  honour  me  with  their  lips,  but  their 
lieart  is  far  from  me." 

Adoration  belongs  to  God  alone.  We,  indeed,  honour 
♦^he  Saints,  and  venerate  them,  but  we  do  not  adore  thein. 
We  pay  not  to  them  that  su})reme  worship  which  is  only 
due  to  God;  we  honour  them  solely  as  his  friends  and  ser- 
vants. It  is  good  and  useful  to  invoke  them  that  wo  may 
obtain  from  God,  through  their  intercession,  those  graces  of 
which  we  stand  in  need;  but  it  is  from  God  alone  we  ask 
them,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  their  Saviour  and  ours, 
who  alone  has  merited  them  for  us  by  his  sufferings  and 
death.  We  also  honour  their  relics,  as  the  precious  remains 
of  a  body  which  was  the  Temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
is  to  rise  again  in  glory,  and  in  that,  we  do  but  follow  tho 
practice  of  all  ages.  We  also  honour  their  images,  but 
that  honour  refers  solely  to  the  object  represented  :  we  re- 
cognise in  them  no  other  virtue  than  that  of  recalling  to  our 
minds  the  memory  of  their  originals.  Thus,  in  kneeling  be- 
fore the  image  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Blessed  Virgin,  or  any 
other  Saint,  it  is  not  the  image  of  Christ,  but  Christ  himselt 
that  we  adore ;  it  is  not  the  image  of  the  Virgin,  or  of  a 
Saint  that  we  honour,  but  whoever  it  is  meant  to  represent 
and  of  whose  virtues  it  serves  to  remind  us. 

The  use  of  images  is  exceedingly  beneficial,  for  it  recalls 
to  our  minds  the  examples  of  the  Saints,  their  struggles, 
their  victories,  and  the  glory  they  enjoy  in  heaven. 

Men  sin  against  the  adoration  due  to  God  by  idolatry,  by 
superstition,  and  by  irreverence. 

Idolatry  consists  in  paying  to  creatures  the  worship  due 
to  God  alone,  like  the  Pagans,  who  rendered  divine  honours 
U)  men,  statues,  animals,  the  stars,  the  vegetables  in  their 
gardens,  nay,  even  to  the  vices  themselves  ! — Although  this 
gross  idolatry  no  longer  exists  amongst  us,  yet  irreligiou 
and  mipiety  have  taken  its  place.     There  are  fools  in  tho 


TOWARDS    GOD 


145 


world  who  say:  •"* There  is  no  God,"  and  they  adore  none  ; 
or  rather,  as  the  Apostle  says :  "  They  make  unto  them- 
selves other  divinities ;  their  pride,  the  love  of  riches  and 
pleasures,  impurity,  gluttony,  &c.  become  their  gods."— 
There  is  yet  another  species  of  idolatry  which  is  abomina- 
I)le  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  it  consists  in  lavishing  saori- 
logious  incense  on  those  idols  of  flesh  who  take  the  place 
of  the  Deity  in  a  depraved  heart. 

We  sin  by  fvperslition  when  we  make  use,  in  the  divine 
worship,  of  certain  practices  not  authorized  by  the  Church, 
or  in  putting  our  trust  in  words  or  deeds  of  which  she  does 
»ot  approve,  and  pretending  to  ootain  particular  ends  by 
their  means,  such  as  a  knowledge  of  the  future,  of  hidden 
tilings,  &c. — taking  note  of  lucky  and  unlucky  days,  dec. — 
all  these  being  only  fit  to  draw  down  the  malediction  of 
God  on  those  who  practise  or  have  recourse  to  them. 

We  sin  by  irreverence  in  profaning  churches,  the  relics 
*  ^"'nts,  their  images,  holy  water  and  other  such  things, 
J  . ;  .11  more  by  the  sacrilege  committed  in  receiving  the 
..v».iHments  without  the  necessary  dispositions.  It  is  also 
a  sacrilege  to  purloin  any  sacred  thing  belonging  to  the 
Church,  or  to  strike  a  person  consecrated  to  God,  &;c. 

Examples. — Constantius  Chloris,  a  wise  and  humano 
prince,  esteemed  and  protected  Christianity.  Nevertheless 
he  sometimes  practised  dissimulation,  and  publicly  declared 
that  all  the  Christians  of  his  palace  must  offer  sacrifice  to 
Jupiter  and  the  other  Pagan  divinities,  if  they  would  retain 
tlieir  offices  and  his  favour.  Some  there  were,  who,  prefer; 
ring  their  fortune  to  their  eternal  interest,  hastened  to  obey 
ihis  order,  which,  however,  was  only  meant  to  try  them. — 
The  result  was  that  they  only  obtained  the  contempt  of 
the  sovereign,  who,  indignant  at  their  baseness,  banished 
lliem  for  ever,  from  about  his  person.  One  of  his  confi- 
dants  having  inquired  the  reason  of  this  conduct,  which 
surprised  him  not  a  little,  Constantius  gave  him  this  wise 
answer :  "  Men  who  sacrifice  their  religion  to  their  interest 
are  likely  to  fail  in  every  one  of  their  duties ;  I  have  no 
reason  to  expect  that  they  whose  disgrace  surprises  you  so 
much,  would  be  more  faithful  to  me  Uian  they  have  been  to 

13 


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■■■■■.  v"-;^-  •'..■■■■-. 

-.  ^' ■.■.':<' r.;  .?,,:. 
■  ■'':.■■•■}■  rv..  {-t:^v    . 

■'•♦;■■;■'*•.  rf- .     ■■,  . 

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if.,  r♦•>^  • 


■■■   ■■*•,■  •     .     ■"" 


>■.•■':'■ 


146 


DUTY    OP   THE    CHRISTIAIf 


their  God."  Not  content  with  having  chastised  and  hum* 
Med  the  apostates,  the  prince  thought  it  also  his  duty  to 
give  a  public  reward  to  those  Christians  who,  soaring  above 
all  temporal  views,  had  persevered  in  the  open  profession 
of  Christianity  ;  and,  in  order  to  convince  his  courtiers  that 
lie  reckoned  only  on  the  fidelity  of  those  who  were  faithful 
to  their  religion,  he  confided  to  these  generous  and  incor. 
ruptible  Christians  the  guard  of  his  person  and  of  his  Statea 

The  Emperor  Constantino  Copronymus  raised  up  a  vio. 
lent  persecution  against  the  faithful,  for  the  veneration  of 
sacred  images.  He  summoned  a  holy  hermit,  named 
Stephen,  and  asked  him  in  an  ironical  tone  whether  he  still 
persisted  in  his  idolatry,  as  he  chose  to  call  the  honour  which 
Catholics  pay  to  those  images :  "  Who  is  so  ignorant,"  re- 
plied the  Saint,  "  as  to  adore  stones,  gold  or  silver,  simply 
because  they  represent  J«>sus  Christ  or  the  Saints  ?  Our 
veneration  only  regards  the  originals  of  these  pictures." 
Then  drawing  from  his  bosom  a  piece  of  coin,  having  on  it 
the  emperor's  image,  he  demanded  of  those  who  were  pre- 
sewt  whether  he  would  be  punished  if  he  threw  it  on  thp 
ground  and  trampled  it  under  foot,  having  on  it  the  image 
of  the  monarch  :  they  answered  "  Yes."  "  Oh  infatuated 
men  !"  resumed  St.  Stephen,  "ye  would  punish  wi'h  death 
him  who  would  trample  on  the  image  of  an  earthly  king, 
who  is  but  a  mortal  like  yourselves,  yet  ye  would  dare  to 
trample  under  foot  the  likeiiess  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  King 
of  kings  ! "  Ecclesiastical  History, 


ARTICLE   V. 

ON   THE    RESPECT    DUE    TO    CHURCHES 

The  Church  is  the  house  of  God ;  he  fills  it  with  his 
glory  and  his  presence  ;  it  is  the  place  where  he  resides  in 
a  peculiar  manner,  and  which  is  specially  consecrated  to 
&is  worship :  it  is  there  where  the  faithful  assemble  to  pray, 
t©  sing  his  praises,  and  to  celebrate  the  Sacred  Mysteries ; 
and  it  is  there  that  Jesus  Christ  dwells  in  the  body,  and  of- 
fera  himself  to  his  Father  for  us.     Is  any  thing  more  want- 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


147 


mg  to  inspire  us  with  the  most  profound  respect,  and  the 
most  serious  attention  ?  Should  we  not,  on  entering  that 
iioly  place,  be  seized  with  fear,  and  exclaim,  with  a  Patri- 
arch of  old :  **  How  dre^'dfnl  is  this  place  !  it  is  indeed  the 
house  of  God,  and  the  gate  of  heaven  !"  Yes,  temples  are 
as  it  were,  a  new  heaven  wherein  God  abides  with'  men. 
Is  not  He  who  dwells  in  that  august  tabernacle  the  self- 
game  God  whom  the  blessed  adore  in  heaven  ?  Like  them, 
then,  we  ought  to  be  annihilated  in  spirit  and  in  heart  be- 
fore the  divine  majesty  :  it  is  veiled  in  our  temples,  I  grant 
you ;  but  is  it  any  the  less  worthy  of  our  profound  adora- 
tion ?  How  can  we,  then,  dare  to  enter  a  chut-ch  without 
respect ;  how  can  we  dare  remain  there  without  recollec- 
tion, without  modesty,  and  sometimes  even  behave  with  the 
most  scandalous  levity. 

All  in  that  holy  place  speaks  to  us  of  the  mercies  of  God : 
the  sacred  font,  where  with  the  life  of  grace  we  have  re- 
ceived the  inestimable  right  of  a  celestial  inheritance ;  those 
tribunals  of  reconciliation,  where  we  have  been  so  often 
purified  from  our  sins  and  cured  of  our  spiritual  wounds ; 
that  cross  whereon  Christ,  Our  Saviour,  died  for  us ;  the 
altar,  in  fine,  whereon  he  daily  immolates  himself,  in  oider 
to  apply  to  us  the  fruit  of  his  sufferings ;  there  it  is,  also, 
that  we  have  participated  at  the  Table  of  the  Lord,  and 
received  in  confirmation  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Should  not  objects  so  touching  fill  our  minds  with  holy 
thoughts  and  our  hearts  with  pious  sentiments,  and  should 
they  not  make  us  love  to  linger  in  a  place  so  highly-favour- 
ed ?  How  does  it  happen,  then,  that  so  many  go  there  but 
with  reluctance,  and  while  there  feel  only  disgust,  being  oc- 
cupied solely  with  vain  fancies,  even  if  no  worse  ?  Do  not 
all  those  mementos  of  the  goodness  of  God  speak  directly 
to  the  heart  ?  How  outrageous  it  is  to  return  such  boundi 
less  love  with  cold,  culpable  indifference. 

Example. — The  Turks  have  so  great  a  respect  for  their 
mosques,  that  they  never  pass  before  them  without  some  ex- 
terior act  of  reverence :  a  horseman  would  be  punished 
severely  if  he  did  not  alight  from  his  horse  in  passing  a 
mosque}   they  never  encer  them  but  with  bare  feet,  and 


''f^'Lt-%^-''. 


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148 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHRISTIAN 


hands  joined  together,  and  with  all  possible  recoUectioft 
While  in  their  mosque,  they  are  so  attentive  and  so  devout 
that  they  would  pass  for  monks  rather  than  barbarians ;  they 
several  times  prostrate  themselves  on  thegiound,  to  humble 
themi|elves  in  the  preseno*.  .?f  God.  During  the  whole  tim« 
of  piayer  not  one  is  ever  seen  to  turn  his  head  aside.  U 
L  3rime  to  speak  to  another,  so  that  it  is  a  thing  unhe&rd- 
i,  s  see  two  Turks  converse  at  the  time  of  prayer.  If 
any  thing  is  said  to  a  Mussulman  while  he  is  at  prayer,  ho 
makes  no  reply ;  he  may  be  beaten,  and  he  will  not  even 
look  to  see  who  struck  him.  Ah !  but  these  infidels  will  ono 
day  put  to  shame  those  Christians  who  pray  with  so  little 
modesty  or  attention  I 

What  a  lesson  for  Christians  who  are  even  well  instruct- 
•d  in  their  religious  duties  !  Book  of  Travels. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OF    THE    SECO^-D    COMMANDMENT    OF    GOD. 

Thou  shall  not  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain. 

The  second  commandment  forbids  us  all  swearing  injuri- 
ous  to  God  and  the  Saints. 

It  is  as  though  the  Lord  said  to  us:  Revere  my  holy  name; 
I  forbid  you  to  profane  it  by  employing  it  to  authorize  false- 
hood, injustice,  or  even  to  confiiin  truth  without  a  sufficient 
reason. 

To  swear,  is  to  take  God  or  some  Saint  to  witness  what 
we  say,  or  what  we  promise. 

Swearing  may  be  either  an  act  of  religion  or  a  sin,  ac- 
cording to  the  circumstances  and  dispositions  by  which  it  is 
accompanied. 

When  it  is  an  act  of  religion,  it  must  be  done  with  truth, 
jtistice,  and  judgment. 

Without  truth,  the  oath  is  false,  and  becomes  perjury; 
without  justice,  the  oath  is  an  unjust  one ;  and  without  juti^- 
ment,  that  is  to  say,  when  taken  with  levity,  or  without  suf- 
ficient cause,  it  is  rash  and  indiscreet. 

A  rash  oath,  although  meant  to  confirm  a  thing  in  itsalf 


giving  ju 
ratified  v, 
certainly 
promise  i 

Sweari 
times  us( 
selves  to 
perjury. 

There 
«y,  impn 

Blasph 
Saints,  oi 

It  is  bl 
9r  could 
tiality,  inj 

It  is  bl, 
due,  such 


TOWARDS    60D. 


140 


true  and  just,  is  a  sin,  and  may  become  considerable,  accord- 
ing to  circumstances,  and  because  of  the  scandal  it  may 
give.  We  ought  never  to  take  an  oath  without  an  important 
reason,  and  never  through  passion. 

False,  or  unjust  oaths  or  perjuiy,  may  be  greater  or  lesser 
sins,  according  to  the  degree  of  malice  with  which  they  are 
made,  and  the  scandal  they  may  occasion. 

There  is  a  species  of  oath  which  is  called  promissory ;  be- 
ing used  to  make  more  ce*tain  the  execution  of  what  i» 
promised. 

He  who  swears  to  do  an}  thing,  which  he  has  no  inten- 
tion of  doing  commits  a  grievous  sin,  and  is,  in  fact,  guilty 
of  perjury. 

With  regard  to  the  fulfilment  of  what  one  has  sworn  to 
do,  mere  are  three  circumstances  wherein  the  oath  is  not 
binding :  these  are,  1st,  when  the  thing  promised  is  evil  in 
itself  and  forbidden  to  be  done,  for  God  cannot  require  the 
performance  of  an  act  which  is  sinful  in  its  nature;  2nd,  when 
a  thing  which  was  practicable  when  promised,  becomes  im- 
practicable, by  unforeseen  events ;  3rd,  and  finally,  when  the 
oath  was  not  taken  voluntarily,  but  was  forced  upon  us ; 
nevertheless,  on  such  an  occasion  it  is  necessary  to  have  re- 
course to  the  Ecclesiastical  authority,  lest  one  might  err  in 
giving  judgment  in  his  own  case.  If  the  thing  promised,  or 
ratified  with  an  oath,  be  in  itself  possible  and  lawful,  it  should 
certainly  be  executed,  for  then  the  non-fulfilment  of  the 
promise  is  an  enormous  sin. 

Swearing,  without  necessity,  is  very  often  criminal,  at  all 
times  useless,  and  even  dangerous,  since  we  expose  our- 
selves to  contract  a  habli;  of  it,  which  may  lead  in  the  end  to 
perjury. 

There  are  three  ways  of  designating  swearing ;  blasphe- 
«y,  imprecation,  and  disguised  swearing. 

Blasphemy  is  a  word,  or  a  discourse  injurious  to  God,  his 
Saints,  or  Religion. 

It  is  blasphemy  to  attribute  to  God  defects  which  do  not, 
ttr  could  not  belong  to  him,  such  as  taxing  him  with  par- 
tiality, injustice,  or  the  like. 

It  is  blaspheming  God  to  deny  to  him  that  which  is  his 
due,  such  as  pretending  that  He  disdains  to  take  care  of  liii 


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150  DUTY    OF  THE    CHRISTIAN 

creatures,  that  He  takes  no  notice  of  the  affairs  of  thii 
world,  &c. 

It  is  blasphemy  against  God  to  speak  with  contempt  of 
his  divine  attributes,  perfections,  &c. 

It  is  blasphemy  of  the  worst  kind  to  speak  disrespectfully 
of  God,  even  though  it  be  through  custom,  and  the  sin  is 
still  greater  if  the  blasphemy  is  spoken  in  anger,  passion,  or 
through  contempt. 

It  is  blaspheming  God  to  join  to  his  adorable  name  cer- 
tain terms  which  dishonour  him ;  such,  for  example,  as  sacred, 
which  becomes  in  that  case,  a  sort  of  malediction  against  God. 

It  is  blasphemy  against  the  Saints,  to  mock  them,  to  at- 
tribute to  them  defects  t-:  failings,  to  find  fault  with  the  hon> 
ours  rendered  to  them  by  the  Church,  <&;c. 

It  is  blaspheming  Religion,  to  turn  it  into  ridicule,  to 
blame  its  practices,  to  speak  ill  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
<kc.,  dec. 

Then  there  are  also  blasphemies  of  mind  and  heart ;  these 
are  thoughts  and  desires  contrary  to  the  divine  perfections 
or  to  things  which  concern  religion  ;  such  is  the  blasphemy 
of  the  fool  who  said  in  his  heart  "  There  is  no  God."  This 
is  a  horrible,  an  execrable  sin,  and  deserving  of  the  most 
terrible  punishment. 

Blasphemers  are  no  longer  stoned  to  death,  nor  are  their 
tongues  pierced  ;  but  let  them  not  triumph  the  more  of  that, 
for  the  time  of  chastisement  will  soon  come,  when  they, 
wretches  that  they  are,  shall  receive  the  punishment  due  to 
such  crimes. 

Imprecations  are  expressions  by  which  we  wish  harm  to 
befall  ourselves  or  others,  such  as  death,  damnation,  6ie., 
«kc.,  whether  in  promising,  denying,  or  assuring  of  any 
thing. 

Disguised  oaths  are  of  two  sorts :  1st.,  some  of  them 
are  oaths  with  some  change  of  terms;  2nd.,  others  are 
oaths  or  curses  disguised  under  words  which,  though  not  ex- 
actly pronouncing  the  real  oath,  relate  to  it  in  some  way  or 
another,  such  as,  "  On  my  conscience," — "  As  1  am  before 
God,"  dec,  dec. 

Christians  should  never  express  themselves  so,  nor  tQi> 
niit  such  habits  of  speech  to  grow  upon  them. 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


l&l 


ft  is  not  cursing,  to  call  any  one  hy  injut'.o'js  names,  but 
His  outraging  that  person,  and  exposing  him  to  offend  God, 
which  is  never,  in  any  case,  allowabU^. 

Neither  is  it  swearing  or  cursing  to  give  utterance  to  im- 
modest words  or  phrases  which  virtuous  people  take  care 
never  to  express,  but  it  is  speaking  obscenely,  which  is  bad, 
and  often  gives  scandal. 

By  an  oath,  we  secure  or  promise  something  to  our  fel- 
low men,  by  bringing  in  the  name  of  God  ;  but  it  sometimes 
happens  that  people  make  promises  to  God  himself,  to  per- 
form things  which  they  know  are  pleasing  to  him.  Such  a 
promise  made  to  God  is  called  a  vow. 

A  vow  is  a  deliberate  promise  made  to  God,  to  do  a  thing 
which  may  be  supposed  agreeable  to  him :  they  who  prom- 
ise to  give  an  alms,  to  make  a  pilgrimage,  &:c.,  are  said  to 
make  a  vow. 

A  vow  is  something  more  than  a  simple  resolution.  By 
a  vow  we  bind  ourselves  towards  God  to  do  the  thing  prom- 
ised, under  pain  of  committing  sin. 

The  obligation  of  performing  what  we  have  promised  to 
God  rests  on  the  circumstances,  indicated,  pn  place,  tima, 
&c. 

The  Church  hT,s  it  in  her  power  to  dispensa  with  a  prom- 
ise made  to  God ;  but  this  power  she  never  exercises  with- 
out the  strongest  reasons. 

Example. — A  boy  who  had  been  carefu.Hy  taught  by  vir- 
tuous masters,  gave,  some  years  ago,  a  most  touching  proof 
of  his  faith.  He  had  delayed,  it  seemed,  some  time  after 
ichool  was  over,  and  got  home  a  little  later,  whereupon  his 
father  began  to  scold  him,  swearing,  moreover,  by  the  holy 
uame  of  God.  The  poor  lad,  shocked  at  himself  for  having 
given  occasion  for  such  blasphemy,  threw  himself  on  his 
knees,  and  burst  into  tears  :  "  Father  !"  he  cried,  "  Oh  ! 
father !  beat  me  if  jou  will,  but  do  not  swear,  I  implore 
you !"  The  father  was  confounded,  seeing  the  boy*s  horror 
of  the  crime  he  had  committed,  and  he  failed  not  to  profit 
by  the  lesson,  so  as  never  again  to  utter  a  blasphemy.  Ah 
from  how  many  sins  might  children,  if  they  were  true  Chiift 
tians,  save  their  parents !  Essay  on  Blasphemy. 


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152 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAll 


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CHAPTER    IV. 

OF    THE    THIKD    COMMANDMBNT. 

Remember  to  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  Day, 

EvEKY  day  belongs  to  God,  and  there  is  none  which  w# 
are  not  bound  to  dedicate  to  his  giory ;  but  as  the  wants  o 
life  prevent  us  from  giving  ourselves  up  entirely  to  the  ex- 
ercises of  religion,  God  has  reserved  to  himself  a  certain 
day  of  the  week,  which  he  commands  us  to  employ  in  ador- 
ing and  serving  him.  This  precept  is  as  old  as  the  world. 
God,  immediately  after  he  had  created  the  world,  conse- 
crated that  day,  to  the  end  that  men  might  celebrate  tlie 
memory  of  the  creation  and  the  mysterious  repose  into 
which  he  entered  after  having  finished  that  great  work. — 
That  day  whereon  God  rested  was,  in  the  Old  Law,  the 
seventh  day,  and  was  called  the  Sabbath,  which  signifies 
rest ;  but  in  the  New  dispensation  it  is  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  which  is  called  Sunday,  or  the  Lord's  Day.  That 
day  has  been  substituted  for  Saturday,  from  the  time  of  the 
Apostles,  and  by  divine  inspiration,  in  memory  of  the  Re- 
surrection of  Jesus  Christ :  because  it  is  the  day  on  which 
Our  Lord,  after  the  labours  of  his  mortal  V%,  entered  upon 
his  eternal  repose.  It  is  then  intended  to  honour  that  God« 
victorious  over  death,  by  whom  we  have  been  redeemed. 

"  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour,"  says  the  Lord,  "  but  the 
seventh  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God  ;  on  that  day 
tiiou  shalt  do  no  work,  neither  thyself,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy 
servant,  nor  the  stranger  who  is  within  thy  gates  !*'  The 
Jews  were  so  strict  in  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  that 
they  prepared  on  the  previous  evening  even  the  food  which 
they  required  for  the  morrow.  The  law  of  the  Gospel  is 
less  rigorous,  and  permits  all  works  of  charity  or  of  neces- 
sity, together  with  those  which  are  called  liberal,  such  as 
reading,  writing,  drawing,  <kc. ;  but  we  are  not  allowed  to 
do  any  servile  work,  that  is  to  say,  the  work  or  labour 
whereby  we  earn  our  living,  nor  any  thing  that  might  tend 
to  turn  us  away  from  the  service  of  God.  It  is,  therefore, 
a  great  sin  to  busy  ourselves  on  that  day  with  any  mer- 
cenary affairs,  unless  obliged  by  actual  necessity  or  requir* 


TOWARDS  OOD. 


153 


ed  for  the  divine  service,  public  necessity,  or  the  indispei^ 
sable  wants  of  life. 

Tradesmen  who  work  on  that  day,  under  pretence  of 
finishing  ^  job,  or  for  fear  of  losing  a  customer,  commit  a 
great  sin.  But  it  would  be  even  a  greater  sin  to  give  one's 
self  up  to  profane  dissipation,  or  to  indulge  in  criminal 
amusements,  such  as  bal!s,  plays,  dz;c.,  which,  instead  of 
sanctifying,  would  profane  the  Sabbath.  Actions  which 
are  at  all  times  prohibited,  are  doubly  so  on  days  conse- 
crated to  the  Lord.  Of  all  servile  works  are  there  any 
more  opposed  to  the  sanctification  of  those  days  than  the 
works  of  sin,  which  render  us  slaves  of  the  devil  ?  Does 
uot  sin,  which  is  always  a  great  evil,  even  when  committed 
on  any  ordinary  day,  appear  doubly  hideous  when  commit- 
ted on  Sunday  ?  Does  not  such  conduct  announce  an  utter 
forgetfulness  of  God,  and  a  more  marked  contempt  of  his 
holy  Law  ? 

It  is  not  enough  to  abstain  from  servile  work  and  from 
eriminal  actions,  we  must  also  employ  the  Sunday  in  the 
service  of  God,  by  applying  ourselves  to  acts  of  piety  and 
devotion ;  this  is,  in  fact,  the  essential  purpose  of  the  pre- 
cept. If  God  commands  us  to  suspend  our  ordinary  labours, 
it  is  that  we  may  have  nothing  to  withdraw  us  from  attend- 
ing to  his  service.  Would  God  be  at  all  honoured  by  listless 
idleness  ?  or  would  the  day  be  sanctified  if  it  were  passed  in 
gambling,  at  table,  or  in  visiting  ?  No,  certainly  not :  that 
which  really  sanctifies  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  set  apart 
for  himself,  is  assisting  at  the  divine  offices,  and  public  in- 
structions ;  in  reading  pious  and  useful  books,  or  by  em- 
ploying ourselves  in  any  good  work  tending  to  the  service 
of  God,  our  own  sanctification,  or  the  relief  of  our  neigh- 
bour. It  is  true  that  God  does  not  forbid  us  a  little  recre^ 
Hon,  provided  it  be  innocent  and  taken  in  moderation. 
Some  relaxation  is  necessary,  and  is  perfectly  allowable; 
but  it  should  never  be  contrary  to  piety,  and  should  never 
be  suffered  to  encroach  on  tiie  time  allotted  lo  prayer,  to 
linging  the  praises  of  God,  or  to  our  own  instruction. 
Would  it  be  sanctifying  the  day  to  give  to  God  but  a  small 
portion  of  it  ? — The  Church,  indeed,  prescribes  to  u&  assist- 
ing at  Mass  as  the  principal  part  of  the  day's  sanctifioAtion ; 


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1S4 


DUTY    OF  THl    CHBIITIAN 


but  she  does  not  make  that  sufficient,  as  we  see  clearlj  hj 
the  series  of  prayers  and  instructions  which  she  has  fixed  at 
various  hours  throughout  the  day. 

Examples. — Under  the  old  dispensation,  the  profanation 
of  the  Sabbath  was  punished  witlii  death  ;  for  not  only  did 
God  command  that  a  man  who  was  found  picking  up  wood 
in  the  desert  on  the  Sabbath  should  be  stoned  to  death,  but 
he  said  again  to  Moses,  "  Speak  to  the  Children  of  Israel, 
and  say  unto  them :  Observe  my  Sabbath,  because  it  must  be 
kept  holy  ;  he  who  violates  it  shall  suffer  death  ;  if  any  one 
labour  on  the  Sabbath,  he  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  midst 
of  you ;  six  days  shall  ye  labour,  but  the  seventh  is  the 
Sabbath,  the  day  of  rest,  consecrated  to  the  Lord  ;  whoso- 
ever shall  do  any  work  on  that  day  shall  be  put  to  death." 

ExoduSf  xxxi. 

One  Sunday,  Father  C ,  being  in  one  of  the  Marian 

Islands,  was  passing  along  on  the  sea-shore,  on  his  way  to 
visit  a  sick  person.  He  saw  some  Indians,  who  had  been 
baptised,  working  very  busily  at  some  boats  they  were 
making,  and  asked  them  if  there  were  not  other  days  in  the 
week  to  do  such  work,  or  how  it  came  that  they  were  thus 
transgressing  the  divine  precept  which  commands  the  keep- 
ing holy  the  Lord's  Day,  by  abstaining  from  all  servile  work, 
and  employing  it  in  the  practices  and  exercises  of  Christian 
piety.  They  savagely  answered  that  such  was  their  will  and 
pleasure.  The  priest  went  on  his  way ;  but  in  a  few  hours 
after,  when  returning  from  his  visit,  he  passed  by  the  sanoe 
place,  and  found  the  boats  and  the  shed  wherein  they  had 
been,  all  reduced  to  ashes.  The  Indians  who  had  paid  so 
iittlo  attention  to  his  remonstrances  were  now  covered  with 
confusion,  and  profuse  in  their  expressions  of  lively  and  sin 
«era  repentance.  Edifying  letter*. 


TOWARDS   GOD.  155 

CHAPTER    V. 

OP    THE    FOURTH    COMMANDMENT. 

Honour  thy  Jather  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may 
he  long  in  the  land. 

God,  by  his  fourth  Commandment  prescribes  the  duties  of 
'inferiors  towards  their  superiors,  and  of  superiors  toward* 
tiieir  inferiors ;  for,  by  the  word  father  and  mother,  we  are 
to  understand  all  those  who  have  any  authority,  and  riglit  of 
command. 

Children  have  four  principal  duties  to  fulfil  towa.ds  their 
father  and  mother ;  they  must  respect,  love,  and  ob'»y  them, 
and  assist  them  in  all  their  wants. 

The  first  duty  of  children  towards  their  parents  is  i  t- 
pect — inviolable  respect — at  all  times  and  in  every  sitUi'it  ri. 
That  respect  consists  in  receiving  with  docility  *'^eir  advice 
and  their  correction,  in  always  speaking  to  them  n  a  respect- 
ful tone,  in  fearing  to  displease  them,  and  in  concealing  and 
excusing  their  faults.  A  father  and  mother  are  to  their 
children  the  representatives  of  God,  whose  place  they  hold 
with  regard  to  them.  They  are  the  depositaries  of  his  au- 
tliority,  and  to  treat  them  with  any  disrespect  ii.,  to  dosjiise 
God  himself,  since  the  insult  offered  to  them,  refers  also  to 
Him  whom  they  represent.  Thus,  in  the  Old  Law,  God  had 
decreed  that  such  an  offence  should  be  punished  with  death ! 
**  If  any  one,"  said  He,  "  revileth  his  father  or  his  mother, 
let  him  be  put  to  death." 

The  second  duty  of  children  is  to  1  .'^  heir  parents.  Can 
it  be  necessary  to  prove  this  obligation  ? — Does  it  not  suf- 
fice to  remind  any  child  with  ordinary  feeling  of  all  that  his 
parents  have  done  and  still  do  for  him  ?  They  have  given 
him  life ;  since  he  came  into  thj  v/orld  they  have  taken  care 
of  him,  and  during  his  infancy,  when  he  required  continual 
attention,  they  were,  as  it  were,  entirely  occupied  with  him : 
they  watched  over  his  childhood,  and  thought  no  ta^k  too 
great — no  service  too  troublesome,  when  his  welfare  required 
i.  VVhat  trouble  does  not  a  father  and  mother  take  for  their 
jhild  \ — How  hard  they  work  in  order  to  earn  a  living  for 
liini !    A  chilfi  who  does  not  iove  his  parents  cannot  be  a 


^  r  ■ 


^   •  ■ 


A 


•t  , 


y- 

•  -tf.    •     .    ■ 

.      .  r;  s.' 

r-'  :      "    .   .■■*.' 

■  >    '    ■•■•  ■ 

1  '  4   , 

'.'Xf     ^.. 

(♦•  '  'j 

••A     ^ 

•■'.•'.  ■'*  .'  •■     •     »■  t 

m^'^-  ■•: 

•■if....  '.y  1, . 

»•'•■■;•";>:,    •>■     ■,■••.  . 

W'-:^\^     ^ 

r«:^v-:  •  •   ■  •  : 

^•.'■'.'.  '■  '■^-       ■  <■■ 

1         •••.•. 

■m:^.  ■:■■ 

■■.:'■■•''           .; '':'  ' 

^^^: 

V  ■'■■'■!,    ■■;•  ,6 

'     -*  •    *  •  »  1  %■  •»  if 


4fU 


'     '  '  ■     '.1      <■    '^ 


III-;   .^^-'4' 


156 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


Christian;  he  cannot  even  be  human  —  he  must  b«  a 
monster. 

The  third  duty  of  a  child  towards  his  parents  is  obedience. 
**  Children,"  says  the  Apostle  St.  Paul,  "  obey  your  parents, 
for  that  is  just  before  God."  This  is  the  mark  by  which  it 
may  be  known  whether  you  respect  and  love  them  sincerely; 
a  child  who  disobeys  his  father  or  mother,  or  who  obeys  them 
with  reluctance,  has  for  them  neither  the  love  nor  respect 
which  he  owes  them. 

Finally,  the  fourth  duty  of  Children  towards  their  parents, 
i«  to  assist  them  in  all  their  necessities :  for  instance,  in  sick- 
ness, in  old  age,  and  poverty ;  on  all  these  occasions  a  child 
is  obliged  to  assist  them  as  far  as  he  possibly  can.  This 
obligation  cannot  but  be  felt  by  any  one  who  has  a  heart 
We  ought,  in  reality,  to  find  a  sensible  pleasure  in  paying 
back  to  a  father  or  a  mother  even  a  portion  of  what  we  have 
received  from  them,  and  to  fail  in  performing  that  duty  would 
be  a  monstrous  piece  of  ingratitude, — stifling,  as  it  were, 
all  the  feelings  of  nature.  Hence  the  Holy  Scripture  de- 
nounces those  who  render  themselves  guilty  of  so  heinous  a 
crime !  "  How  infamous  is  he  who  deserteth  his  father,  and 
cursed  of  God  is  he  who  grieveth  his  mother,  by  refusing  to 
take  care  of  her."  But  if  a  child  ought  to  succour  his  parents 
ki  their  temporal  wants,  how  much  more  strongly  is  he 
bound  to  procure  for  them  the  spiritual  assistance  which  they 
may  require,  especially  in  their  old  age  or  in  their  last  illness. 
Many  parents  will  owe  their  eternal  happiness  to  the  duti- 
ful attention  of  their  children  in  having  them  receive  the 
Sacraments  before  their  death. 

Children  are  also  bound  faithfully  to  execute  the  last  will 
of  their  parents,  and  to  pray  and  have  others  pray  for  them 
after  their  death. 

Fathers  and  mothers  owe  four  things  to  their  Children:) 
food,  instruction,  correction,  and  good  example. 

They  are  bound  to  feed,  clothe,  and  bring  them  up  ac* 
oording  to  their  condition,  and  to  give  them  a  trade  if  need- 
ful, or  otherwise  to  procure  for  them  a  suitable  employment 
or  means  of  living. 

It  is  also  their  duty  either  to  teach  them,  or  have  others 
teach  them,  the  principal  mysteries  of  Faith,  the  Command* 


-l' 


TOWARDS  GOD.  157 

ments  of  God  and  the  Church,  and  the  prayers  which  thej 
should  recite  every  day ;  and  when  their  children  are  about 
to  enter  upon  any  state  of  life,  parents  should  consult  God, 
in  order  to  know  whether  they  are  called  thereto,  and  also 
to  make  known  to  them  the  duties  of  that  state. 

They  are  obliged  to  correct  them,  that  is  to  say,  to  re- 
prove them  when  they  have  committed  any  fault ;  but  they 
must  do  it  with  mildness  and  charity,  not  with  passion  and 
anger. 

Fathers  and  mothers  are  bound  to  watch  over  themselves, 
in  order  that  they  may  always  give  good  example  to  their 
children,  anu  never  do  wrong  in  their  presence  ;  let  them  be 
well  assured  that  many  parents  will  be  condemned  for  hav- 
ing been  the  cause  of  their  children's  sin ;  for  not  having 
brought  them  up  in  a  Christian  manner,  or  for  having  given 
them  bad  example. 

To  this  commandment  may  also  be  referred  what  St.  Pau. 
wrote  to  the  Romans :  "  Let  every  one,"  said  he,  "  be  sub- 
missive to  the  higher  powers;  for  there  is  none  which 
Cometh  not  from  God.  The  prince  is  the  minister  of  God 
for  good ;  we  must,  therefore,  submit  ourselves  to  him,  not 
through  fear  of  chastisement,  but  by  duty  of  conscience. 
Render  tribute  to  whom  tribute,  honour  to  whom  honour." 

It  is  then  binding  on  us  to  obey  the  laws  of  those  who 
are  in  power,  in  all  that  is  not  opposed  to  the  divine 
precepts. 

Such  was  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostles  and  the  conduct 
of  the  primitive  Christians,  although  they  lived  under  bar- 
barous and  idolatrous  princes,  who  slaughtered  an  innumer- 
able multitude  of  martyrs. 

Sovereigns  are  men,  and  may  have  their  faults :  but  we 
must  overlook  them,  and  observe  with  regard  to  them  in  an 
especial  manner  the  laws  of  the  Gospel  relating  to  chanty. 

To  utve  into  the  depths  of  their  intentions,  and  to  regard 
their  actions  unfavourably,  is  great  rashness,  and  a  sort  of 
usurpation  on  the  rights  of  God,  whose  place  they  hold. 

The  Prince  of  the  Apostles  commands  the  faithful  to  be 
obedient  not  only  to  sovereigns,  but  also  to  those  who  hold 
authority  under  them,  and  to  the  magistrates  who  are  their 
reipro>i)entatives.     If  rulers  are  bound  to  regard  as  their  chil- 


■f.'*  .;<,...(. 4\Ai  >;-:^ 
■J  »>  .        •  •  ■     *  ■/'!     • 


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:  •.    -  -t- 

r« 

■■>^V".;* 

J\ 

■^■>':  •■'-..' j''. 

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M^ 

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>.-^>P^.'-l; 

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^••*..:'.'''r:-i,% 

',■•»■' 

jy-y^f':-, 

■fci 

-i  ;>.;;;,<:.  ft.-,  ;■(, 

■'■:>\-'e:'  •■■  ■•-.     . 

•      •»■ 

<  1  .*•  ^.w    <■?'  • 

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i.f*' •■«%,•> 

■  ■.  t 

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t/:^./*  ■</••:■  • 

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■'^i  ■■■'■■  %     . 

1,      *  *%.;  ■■■■**  ^/      / 

. 

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mk-..-:..  >",r  1 

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lui  -  ■'•  •    '  'V'l  ■":• 

'y... -J "..'■•-.■>  'I 

I    .  *  ■■  i  '       I'     . 
■ft  .  •»     I      k 


158 


DUTY    OF  THE   CHRISTIAN 


L!      ^'  .■'  •■'*';  ."■'.,4^: 


1- >;•'.»:; 


dren  those  whom  they  rule,  the  governed  are  also  bound  to 
respect  them  as  their  fathers. 

This  same  commandment  ordains  for  all  the  faithful,  en< 
Are  submission  to  their  ecclesiastical  superiors.  The  Pope 
is  the  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  diocesan  bishop,  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  Apostles ;  a  priest  is  the  spiritual  father  of  his 
parishioners ;  and  a  confessor  is  the  visible  guide  to  lead  to 
ieaven  those  who  confide  in  him ;  every  Catholic  priest  is 
the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  administration  of  the 
Sacraments  and  the  remission  of  sins.  We  should,  there- 
fore, on  every  occasion  treat  them  with  that  love,  respect, 
and  obedience  due  to  their  sacred  character,  and  the  func 
tions  they  are  charged  to  exercise  on  the  part  of  God.  It 
is  to  all  tLe  ministers  of  his  Church  that  Christ  says :  "  He 
who  heareth  you,  heareth  me ;  and  he  who  despiseth  you, 
despiseth  me !" 

Masters  who  are  charged  with  bringing  up  children  have 
the  first  claim  to  their  respect,  after  their  fathers  and  moth- 
ers. Their  ofHce  is  to  instruct  their  pupils  in  religion  and 
human  learning ;  to  watch  over  their  conduct,  and  to  form 
their  hearts  and  minds.  They,  on  their  side,  are  bound  to 
have  a  paternal  care  over  their  pupils,  and  to  fulfil  all  their 
duties  to  them. 

Pupils,  on  the  other  side,  owe  to  their  teachers  respect, 
love,  docility,  and  gratitude.  A  master  consecrates  his 
time,  his  attention,  and  his  health,  to  the  forming  of  his 
pupils  in  knowledge,  arts,  and  in  virtue ;  he  sacrifices  to 
them  his  liberty,  reducing  himself  to  a  sort  of  slavery ;  he 
endures  with  patience  the  weariness  and  tedium  of  listening 
for  ever  to  the  same  sounds.  What  claims  has  he  not  on 
their  affections  while  he  thus  makes  so  many  sacrifices  for 
them,  that  they  may  reap  the  advantage  ?  His  counsels  are 
ealutar;y,  even  necessary  to  them,  to  enable  them  to  avoid 
die  dangers  to  which  passion  exposes  them ;  his  advice  is 
as  a  restraining  bridle,  which  arrests  them  in  their  evil 
course,  and  holds  them  back  from  the  verge  of  the  preci- 
pices which  surround  them  on  every  side.  His  reprimands, 
if  reasonable  and  moderate,  should  in  no  ways  lessen  their 
love  for  him.  He  reproves  them,  it  is  true,  but  it  is  be* 
eause  he  desires  their  improvement ;  if  he  loved  them  less. 


he  woj 
alway^ 
is  deef 
make. 

Wei 
careful 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


159 


he  wonid  not  be  so  much  interested  in  their  welfare.  It  ii 
always  with  regret  that  he  uses  severity,  and  his  tenderness 
is  deeply  hurt  by  the  reproaches  which  they  oblige  him  to 
make. 

We  sometimes  see  in  the  world  men  who  have  been  most 
carefully  educated,  with  but  little  profit  to  themselves ;  they 
ere  found  unable  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  any  employment  ou 
situation,  and  commit  a  multitude  of  faults  through  igno 
ranoe.  If  you  would  learn  the  cause  of  this  disorder,  in 
terrogate  those  who  knew  them  in  their  youth ;  you  will 
hear  that  they  were  rebellious  spirits,  full  of  themsekes,  and 
determined  never  to  submit  to  authority ;  they  would  not 
listen  to  advice,  and  would  suffer  no  reprimand;  they 
thought  themselves  at  liberty  to  treat  their  masters  just  as 
they  liked,  and  took  pleasure  in  magnifying  even  their  most 
trifling  faults ;  they  never  overlooked  or  excused  any  failing 
of  theirs,  anr^  amused  themselves  in  speaking  ill  of  them, 
and  in  prejudicing  others  against  them,,  What  is  the  con- 
sequence ? — They  themselves  have  grown  up  in  ignorance 
and  full  of  faults ;  they  have  become  men,  but  useless  and 
contemptible  men  ;  in  a  word,  they  are  bad  citizens,  purely 
because  in  the  days  of  their  youth  they  were  disobedient 
and  refractory  pupils.  Young  people,  you  do  not  now  feel, 
it  may  be,  all  the  obligations  you  owe  to  those  who  instruct 
you,  nor  the  importance  of  what  they  are  doing  for  you ; 
but  a  day  will  come  when  you  shall  know  the  value  of  a 
good  education,  and  how  much  you  are  and  ought  to  be 
indebted  to  them.  The  advantage  of  education  is  beyond 
all  price,  and  the  trifling  remuneration  made  to  your  teaoh^ 
ers  can  in  no  way  be  compared  to  the  benefits  you  receive 
from  their  tuition.  The  benefits  remain  with  you  during 
jour  whole  life :  the  gratitude  of  the  pupil  to  hia  master 
should,  therefore,  know  no  bounds. 

Examples. — M.  Delleglaie  was  conveyed  to  Paris  from 
ft  dungeon  in  Lyons,  and  his  daughter  accompanied  him, 
for  she  would  not  consent  to  leave  him.  She  begged  of 
the  driver  that  she  might  be  admitted  into  the  samo  carriage 
with  her  father,  but  this  favour  she  could  not  obtain.  But 
ean  filial  love  bo  thwarted  by  trifling  obstacles  <! — No  !>— Ai- 


«'.:.:ti4-;4-^.^' .■ 
:.' .       1%'  •'■  .•         •  ••    .' 

,.\,v  ■•■,•-.  •■',.'v  ■  .  •■'■■. 


rl 


.ry 


.'?, 


'y:r^-:^iiZ:^ 


'■X'*'.  ■■'V'.v'.'i    .*'i'' 


,v;. 


■t  ,^^.  •  •  .* 


I'- 


•V' , 


.,  <•■■»-■ 

■    ,  •  i'.  ■ 


.••■'. 


111*      ,;,'..    .|,.,. 


.'  „>i«   »•  .1",, 
'ilk.  ■'■■,  .   [  >;..  .-  *• 

^ -■•'''  <.*'"■'  ■.  ■' 


l:S-.i.^S"' 


■♦■• . 


'a  ■■■*■,.  iA/      :    -*^ 


>.>''•'«   •» 


•*-'  y-l 


1  Y4r^4^'''l 


,1'i^" 


160 


DUTY    OF  THE    CHRISTIAN 


though  she  was  of  a  feeble  constitution,  she  set  out  on  foot, 
Bnd  followed,  for  more  than  an  hundred  leagues,  the  oar 
riage  which  contained  her  father.  She  never  quitted  it  foi 
u  moment  except  when  she  entered  a  house  at  every  town 
they  passed  through,  in  order  to  prepare  food  for  her  father 
and  every  n^'ght  she  borrowed  a  coverlit  to  enable  him  to 
sleep  somewhat  more  comfortably  in  the  cell  wherein  ha 
was  lodged. 

Thus  sh^>  followed  him  on,  league  after  league,  watching 
over  all  his  wants,  until  he  arrived  in  Paris,  when  she  was 
forbidden  to  wait  upon  him.  But  she  was  well  accustomed 
to  bend,  by  her  prayers,  the  iron  resolution  of  her  father's 
persecutors,  and  she  did  not  despair  on  the  present  occa- 
sion ;  she  persevered  in  her  efforts,  and  after  three  months' 
prayers  and  supplications,  she  even  obtained  the  deliverance 
ef  the  author  of  her  life.  Abbe  Carron.— On  Education. 

A  certain  father  had  an  unfortunate  son,  who  frequently 
reviled  and  abused  him.  It  happened  that  the  father  had 
been  himself  deficient  in  the  respect  due  to  his  parents ;  but 
he  ceased  not  to  bewail  that  grievous  sin  of  his  youth,  and 
as  often  as  he  received  from  his  son  any  fresh  insult,  he  of* 
fered  up  to  God  the  anguish  it  caused  him,  entreating  him 
to  have  mercy  on  him,  and  forgive  him  his  own  bad  treat- 
ment of  his  father.  One  day,  when  the  wretched  son  struck 
him  to  the  ground  and  trampled  upon  him,  he  cried  out: 
"  You  arc  revenged,  my  father !  you  are  now  revenged — 
truly  I  deserve  all  this.     Lord !  have  mercy  upon  me !" 

Lasausbk. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

OP   THE    FIFTH   COMMANDMENT. 

Tlum  shah  not  kill. 

By  this  commandment  God  forbids  anj  one,  on  his  own 
private  authority,  to  take  away  the  life  of  another,  or  yet 
his  own.  This  crime  is  an  outrage  on  the  sovereign  power 
of  God,  who  alone  is  the  absolute  master  of  man's  life — to 


riiT:- 


ti';- 


;>.».- 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


161 


Him  alone  it  belongs  to  take  away  that  life,  which  h^  alone 
has  been  able  to  give.  It  is  the  greatest  injustice  that 
can  be  rendered  to  any  man,  to  deprive  him  of  that  which 
he  holds  deares:  and  most  precious.  One  is  guilty  of  mur- 
der, not  only  when  he  himself  commits  the  action,  but  also 
when  he  is  accessory  to  it,  either  by  commanding,  advising, 
or  in  any  way  assisting  the  actual  transgressor. 

The  law  of  God  does  not  merely  forbid  murder,  but  it 
also  forbids  anger,  contempt  of  our  neighbour,  abuse  and 
violence.  It  is  Jesus  Christ  himself  who  stretches  the 
meaning  of  the  precept  thus  far,  wishing  us  to  stifle  in  our 
hearts  all  emotions  of  anger,  and  all  desire  of  revenge ;  and 
denouncing  all  the  effects  of  those  feelings,  such  as  abusive 
words,  bad  treatment,  all  these  being  in  themselves  a  species 
of  homicide,  and  may  lead  to  it,  if  not  promptly  repressed ', 
hence  it  is  that  St.  John  pronounces  him  who  hates  his  bro- 
ther  a  murderer  in  his  heart  Must  we  not  think  that  they 
who  either  propose  or  accept  a  challenge  to  fight  a  duel, 
are  exceedingly  culpable  in  the  sight  of  God  ? — What  mad- 
ness it  is  to  steep  one's  hands  ii  the  blood  of  a  brother  for 
the  very  slightest  insult — for  a  word — a  jest — and  to  sacri- 
fice to  a  false  point  of  honour  his  own  eternal  salvation  and 
that  of  his  neighbour !  The  Greeks  and  Romans,  pagans 
as  they  were,  never  knew  or  practised  a  custom  so  barba- 
rous. They  were  ambitious  of  obtaining  glory,  but  they 
knew  better  than  we  do,  in  what  true  glory  consists ;  they 
understood  it  to  lie  in  shedding  their  blood  for  their  country, 
and  in  drawing  their  sword  against  the  foreign  enemy,  not 
against  their  own  fellow-citizens.  Duelling  is  then  a  crime 
as  opposed  to  humanity  as  to  Christianity — as  contrary  to 
reason  as  to  religion. 

It  is  not  a  less  crime  to  destroy  one's  own  life.  Life  is  a 
deposite  which  God  has  confided  to  us,  and  it  is  his  wifl 
that  we  should  preserve  it  with  care  tntil  he  is  pleased  to  de 
mand  it  again ;  to  dispose  of  it  without  his  order,  and  in  de- 
fiance of  his  prohibition,  is  to  usurp  his  prerogative — He 
being  the  sole  arbiter  of  life.  What  renders  this  crime  dou- 
bly horrible  is  that  it  can  have  no  remedy,  since  it  deprives 
the  wretched  perpetrator  of  acy  chance  of  repentance,  and 
casts  him  headlong  into  the  re^^ions  of  eternal  woe.     What 


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1(^2 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAIT 


madness  it  is  then  to  shun  a  passing  care  or  sorrow,  by 
rushing  wilfully  into  the  frightful  and  never  ending  tormentg 
uf  hell ! 

But  God  does  not  content  himself  \vith  forbiildJng  tjs  to 
destroy  the  life  of  the  body,  he  also  prohibits  all  thnt  may 
injure  the  soul,  and  especially  scandal.,  wlvijh  dastn  \'  the 
spiritual  life  of  our  neighbour.  Scatvl-il  cccssihi  >  evl  m 
disposing  others  to  sin,  or  in  turning  them  away  froni  viitue. 
It  is  a  second  species  of  homicide,  whicii  although  it  does 
not  strike  our  serjses,  is  itone  the  less  real  in  the  eyes  of 
faith,  nor  less  criminal  in  the  sight  of  God.  He«»  e  Je^us 
Christ  pronounced  the  most  terrible  rneiiaces  agai  irf  those 
who  give  scandal  to  their  brethren  or  are  to  th  :  the  cause 
^i  bin.  **  Woe  !  '*  said  he  "  to  those  bv  wi-om  scandal  com- 
^th  ! — whosoever  sciindalizeth  one  of  these  little  ones,  it  were 
btiirer  f  .r  him  that  he  were  cast  into  the  sea."  We  may 
judg  J  of  the  enormity  of  this  sin  by  the  horror  with  which 
JesoB  '^Jhrist  would  have  us  regard  it. 

When  we  consider  the  effects  of  scandal,  we  shall  at  once 
recognize  the  justice  of  the  terrible  panishment  reser\'ed  for 
it  by  God.  What  is  it  that  the  scandalous  sinner  does  I 
He  stands  up  against  the  will  of  God,  which  is  that  all  meu 
phould  be  saved.  "  The  will  of  thy  heavenly  Father  "  says 
Jesub  Christ,  "  is  that  none  of  these  little  ones  perish : "  He 
has  adopted  them  all  as  his  children,  and  wishes  that  all  may 
be  saved ;  but  by  scandal  an  obstacle  is  thrown  in  the  way 
of  God*s  holy  will,  since  those  whom  He  would  have  to  be 
eternally  happy,  are  thereby  led  into  sin,  and  danger  of  eter- 
nal death.  The  scandalous  sinner  annuls  the  benefits  of  the 
Redemption.  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save 
Bouls ;  and  shed  his  blood  to  redeem  them ;  by  scandal  he 
is  deprived  of  these  souls  that  have  cost  him  bo  dear — ho 
is  robbed  of  his  rightful  conquest,  and  his  blood  was  shed 
for  nought — and  lastly,  those  souls  whom  he  had  destined 
for  eternal  felicity — a  felicity  which  he  had  purchased  for 
tliem — are  exposed  to  infinite  and  endless  misery. 

Suppose  a  young  man  to  have  virtuous  inclinations ;  do* 
ciie  to  his  parents  and  teachers,  collected  when  at  prayer, 
and  attentive  to  all  his  duties,  he  was  a  pleasing  object  in 
the  sight  of  God.     But  he  had  the  misfortune  to  get  into 


TOWARDS    GOD 


163 


company  with  a  libertine  who  gloried  in  having  no  piety — 
no  religion — who  gave  to  virtue  an  odious  and  ridiculous 
name,  and  mocked  those  who  professed  to  observe  its  pre- 
cepts. Our  young  man  being  moved*  by  his  discourse,  be- 
gins to  fear  his  scoffing  and  censure,  and  learns  to  be  asham- 
ed  of  virtue.  The  libertine  goes  farther :  he  converses  in 
his  presence,  on  infamous  and  improper  subjects  ;  he  gives 
him  bad  advice,  which  he  supports  by  his  own  example. 
The  youth  learns  the  evil  which  he  knew  not  before ;  he  re- 
ceives the  most  fatal  impressions,  and  at  length  falls  into  the 
same  evil  courses  pursued  by  the  other.  Behold  him,  thence- 
forwird,  the  slave  of  the  same  passions,  addicted  to  the 
same  vices.  God  would  have  saved  that  soul,  for  which 
Jesus  Christ  died,  but  the  scandalous  sinner  causes  its  de- 
struction. That  soul  was  destined  to  have  enjoyed  the  pre- 
sence of  God  for  all  eternity,  and  the  scandalous  sinner 
drags  it  down  into  everlasting  misery.  What  punishment 
has  he  not  a  right  to  expect  ?  or  is  there  any  torment  too 
great  to  be  inflicted  upon  him  ?  Wretch  that  he  is,  he  would 
shrink  with  horror  from  steeping  his  hands  in  a  brother's 
blood,  yet  the  evil  he  does  him  is  infinitely  more  horrible. 
It  would  be  far  less  cruel  for  him  to  plunge  a  poignard  into 
his  bosom,  and  thereby  destroy  the  life  of  his  body.  That 
soul  by  him  seduced,  shall  cry  out  vengeance  against  him  for 
all  eternity,  and  its  cries  shall  be  heard  by  the  Sovereign 
Judge.  Woe  then,  to  him  who  teaches  youth  the  evil  which 
they  knew  not  before !  woe  to  him  who  seduces  innocence 
either  by  counsel  or  example!  woe  to  him  who  turns 
others  away  from  virtue  and  piety  by  senselesss  raillery ! 
woe  to*him  who  gives  or  lends  books  contrary  to  religion  or 
morality !  woe,  in  fine,  to  him  who  causes  scandal,  of  what- 
soever sort  it  be,  or  who,  being  able  to  prevent  scandal,  fails 
to  do  so  with  all  his  might !  he  is  guilty  of  all  the  sin  ot 
which  he  is  the  cause,  and  he  shall  be  punished  for  all  the 
evil  that  may  arise,  even  after  his  death,  by  reason  of  the 
scandal  which  he  has  given. 

Examples. — Adonibesech,  having  been  conquered  by  the 
Israelites,  they  cut  off  the  extremities  of  his  hands  and  feeL 
Then  that  barbarous  king,  recalling  the  cruelties  which  h» 


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164 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


had  himself  inflicted  on  others,  said :  "  Seventy  kings  whow 
feet  and  hands  I  have  caused  to  be  cut  off,  eat  under  ray 
table  the  crumbs  that  fell  therefrom  ;  the  Lord  is  now  doing 
unto  me,  what  I  did  unto  others.  Judges,  l. 

Some  years  ago,  a  youth  named  Gustavus,  who  had  scarce- 
ly attained  his  sixteenth  year,  was  found  dead  in  his  chamber, 
having  put  an  end  to  his  own  existence.  The  unhappy  boy 
had  become  disgusted  with  the  world,  though  barely  enter- 
ing on  its  career.  What  could  have  led  him  to  commit  that 
rash  act — that  fearful  crime  ?  it  was  incredulity — unbelief. 
From  the  age  of  fifteen  he  had  been  what  is  called  a  free- 
thinker. His  father  had  said :  "  when  my  son  has  passed 
the  age  of  childhood,  I  will  have  him  choose  his  religion  and 
his  God.  The  time  for  the  choice  was  come,  and  the  un- 
fortunate youth  chose  for  himself  death — Oh  unhappy  son! 
unhappy  father! 

A  certain  student  possessed  in  a  high  degree  every  virtue 
that  might  adorn  a  young  man ;  by  a  misfortune  too  cora- 
luon  to  youth,  he  fell  into  the  company  of  a  scoundrel,  vvhO; 
given  up  himself  to  the  most  shameful  passions,  speedily 
kindled  in  that  heart,  lately  so  pure,  the  guilty  flame  which 
devoured  his  own,  so  that  he  soon  became  a  confirmed 
libertine.  In  vain  did  his  sorrowing  friends  beseech  him  to 
return  to  the  paths  of  virtue — he  would  not  heed  them. 
But  God  spoke  to  him  in  his  turn.  The  unhappy  young 
man  awoke  one  night  in  dreadful  pain,  and  uttering  the  most 
fearful  cries;  his  friends  crowded  around,  doing  all  they 
could  to  calm  him,  and  a  priest  was  brought  who  exhorted 
him  to  return  to  God.  The  dying  youth  could  only  look  at 
him  with  a  wild  stare,  and  cry  out  in  a  piteous  voice  these 
doleful  words :  "  woe  to  hir  who  seduced  me ! — In  vain 
would  I  invoke  the  assistance  of  God,  for  I  see  hell  open  to 
receive  me."  And  turning  h  mself  on  his  bed,  he  expired  in 
the  most  frighii'ttl  despair.  Coixet,  Virtuous  Scholar. 


^■•:v 


a< 


^         4 


TOWARDS  OOB.  WB 

CHAPTER    VII. 

OF    THP^SIXTH    COMMANDMENT. 

1  'fum  shall  not  commit  adultery. 

Bv  the  Sixth  Commandmcut  God  prohibits  eveiy  thing 
that  is  contrary  to  the  purity  of  the  soul  and  of  the  l>ody, 
which  sins  are  regarded  in  Scripture  as  most  abominable; 
and  St.  Paul,  comparing  to  idolaters,  those  who  give  them- 
selves up  to  the  vice  of  impurity,  says  that  neither  one  nor 
the  other  shall  ever  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

It  is  then  forbidden  by  this  Commandment  to  say  or  do 
any  thing  contrary  to  public  decency,  or  against  purity: 
hence  it  is  before  God  a  heinous  sin  to  speak  obscene  words 
or  to  sing  lascivious  songs,  or  even  to  hear  such  with  plea- 
sure ;  to  read  books,  to  write  letters,  or  to  give  advice  tend- 
ing to  impurity;  to  fix  the  eye  on  immodest  pictures  or 
statues  to  be  indiscreet  in  one's  looks,  or  commit  any  act, 
either  on  one's  self  or  another,  that  may  please  or  gratify 
any  irregular  or  disorderly  inclination.  There  is  no  vice 
more  opposed  to  the  sanctity  of  God,  and  none  that  he 
punishes  more  severely  than  that  of  impurity.  He  has  fre- 
quently avenged  himself,  even  in  this  world,  on  those  who 
committed  it,  as  we  see  from  many  examples  recorded  in 
the  scriptures.  This  sin  shall  be  punished  even  in  infidels 
who  know  not  God,  because  it  is  contrary  to  the  reason 
which  enlightens  them,  because  that  in  giving  way  to  it  man 
degrades  himself,  for  that,  being  in  his  own  nature  elevated 
above  the  other  animals,  he  thereby  brings  himself  down  to 
their  leveJ.  It  is,  however,  still  more  enormous  in  Christians, 
who  have  been  regenerated  in  Christ  Jesus,  seeing  that  no- 
thing can  be  more  contrary  o  their  vocation,  for  it  is  a  gross 
outrage  offered  to  the  Holy  Ghost  whose  temple  it  profanes, 
and  to  Jesus  Christ  whose  mfimbers  it  defiles.  What  a 
crime  it  is  to  desecrate  the  temple  of  God !  What  a  sacri- 
lege to  dishonour  the  members  of  Jesus  Christ !  Thb  bare 
idea  ought  to  fill  us  with  horror  ;  but  our  detesta*;ion  of  that 
hideous  sin  will  be  fully  confirmed  if  we  only  consider  for  a 
moment  its  fatal  consequences.  It  destroys  the  health,  it 
dissipates  wealth,  dishonours  families,  and  covers  with  in* 


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'(',...        ■*  •     •■ 


166 


DUTY    OP    TMB    CHRISTIAN 


fum}  those  who  are  so  unhappy  as  to  give  way  to  it.  A 
libertine  eventually  becomes  the  disgrace  of  his  faxnily,  and 
his  name  a  by- word  for  a  whole  town,  and  he  either  perishes 
miserably  in  the  prime  of  life,  or  drJigs  out  a  wearisome  ex- 
istence in  ignominy,  in  pain,  and  in  despair. 

Tho  effects  of  this  sin  uie  still  more  fatal  in  regard  to  the 
soul ;  it  extinguishes  the  light  of  the  mind,  and  renders  it  in- 
capable of  serious  application.  A  3'oung  man  who  is  ad- 
dicted to  this  shameful  vice  can  think  of  nothing  solid: 
his  passion  follows  him  every  where  and  will  permit  him  to 
think  of  nothing  else ;  every  kind  of  work  is  wearisome, 
and  tedious,  and  irritating  to  him.  The  heart  is  still  more 
diseased  than  the  mind,  and  he  has  an  almost  unconquerable 
disgust  for  prayer  and  every  other  exercise  of  piety  ;  he  is,  in 
fact,  that  carnal  man  of  whom  St.  Paul  speaks,  who  conceives 
nothing  of  the  things  of  (iod  ;  even  the  sight  of  good  people 
is  offensive  to  him,  because  their  conduct  is  a  sort  of  silent 
censure  on  his  own  scandalous  crimes.  "  He  who  doeth 
evil "  says  Jesus  Christ,  "  hates  the  light," — he  never  draw- 
eth  near  to  it  lest  his  works  might  be  condemned.  He  quick- 
ly be«oraes  callous ;  ibr  there  is  no  vice  which  casts  a  deeper 
darkness  on  the  soul ;  the  dearest  interests  touch  him,  or 
concvirn  him  no  more  ;  the  threats  and  promises  of  God  are 
alike  despised ;  eternal  happiness  or  eternal  misery  is  no 
longer  thought  of;  all  is  sacrificed,  all  goes  for  nothing. 
He  forgete  both  what  he  owes  to  others  and  to  himseif ;  it  is 
no  longer  reason  that  guides  him,  for  he  is  carried  away  by 
a  blind  and  impetuous  inclination  ;  he  becomes  a  spectacle 
for  all  the  world,  yet  he  sees  not  himself.  He  even  loses  his 
faith,  for  religion  cannot  ally  herself  with  a  dissolute  life. 
In  order  to  stifle  remorse  of  conscience  \n<^  ''ve  tranquilly 
m  crime,  he  begins  by  doubting  the  moot  certain  truths,  an 
ends  by  dismissing  all  belief.  Thenca  ip^lows  final  impeni- 
tence; he  dies  in  his  sin,  and  an;.e»rs  before  the  tribunal. ol 
God  covered  with  the  guilt  of  ar*  entire  life,  according  to 
tliat  saying  of  Scripture :  ■*  Tne  disorders  of  youth  shall 
penetrate  even  his  bones,  thdv  shall  go  down  with  him  into 
the  grave,  and  thonce  into  hell." 

We  are  not  only  obliged  to  avoid  this  abominable  sin,  but 
also  every  occasion  that  may  lead  to  it,  for  he  who  hveth  the 


\* 


ARD8    00D< 


167 


danger  shall  peruh  therein^  says  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  oc- 
casions which  lead  the  oftenest  to  the  sin  of  impurity  are, 
1st,  excess  in  eating  and  drinking,  because  it  brutalizes  the 
•oul,  renders  it  carnal  and  sensual,  deprives  it  of  all  idea  of 
God,  and  keeps  it,  as  it  were,  bent  down  to  the  earth. 

'4jud,  Luxury  in  drees,  which  becoming  to  one's  self  and 
oUiers  a  cause  of  sin  and  of  scandal,  is  always  the  sign  that 
olmstity  is  dead  or  dying  in  the  soul. 

3i'd,  Idleness,  for  to  live  withou*  doing  any  thing  is  to  ex- 
pose one's  self  to  continual  temptation ;  idleness  being  the 
mother  of  every  vice. 

4th,  Bad  company,  since  nothing  is  p  .re  pernicious  than 
the  society  of  libertines  who  have  lost  the  fear  of  (iod  and 
all  sense  of  natural  modesty,  and  who  induce  others  to  com- 
mit sin,  cither  by  their  discourse  or  example.  The  Holy 
Ghost  warns  us  in  several  parts  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  to 
shun  the  company  of  the  wicked  and  to  break  off'  all  con- 
nexion with  them.  "  If  the  wicked  will  draw  you  tc^them,'* 
says  he  to  all,  "  heed  them  not  If  they  say  to  you  ;  Come 
with  us,  beware  of  following  them  ;  if  you  keep  their  com- 
pany you  shall  soon  become  like  unto  them."  Being  thus 
instructed  by  Truth  itself  that  vice  is  contagious, — that  the 
wicked  impart  their  infection  to  all  who  approach  them, — 
tliat  by  associating  with  them  we  soon  learn  to  think,  speak, 
and  act  as  they  do,  we  should  sin  grievously  by  exposing 
ourselves  to  so  great  a  danger — the  danger  of  resembling 
them.  Should  you  like  to  live  with  infected  persons  i — 
Doubtless  you  would  not;  fearing  least  you  might  speedily 
catch  their  disease.  Bad  companions  are  the  plague  of  the 
soul  Even  as  they  who  are  inwardly  decayed  communi- 
cate by  their  breath  the  corruption  of  their  Ivotly,  so  do  sin- 
ners communicate  by  their  conversation  the  corruption  ot 
their  heart  and  soul;  for  of  what  do  such  f>ersons  speak 
most  commonly  ? — What  is  the  ordinary  subject  of  their 
discourse,  when  they  find  themselves  without  restraint  ? 
Alas  !  they  talk  of  every  thing  that  can  flatter  the  passions; 
every  bit  of  scandal  that  they  have  seen  or  heard,  they  re- 
late with  the  utmost  satisfaction, — they  will  not  blush  to  ea- 
large  on  the  most  shameful  topics,  and  even  make  a  merit 
of  their  very  crimes, — nay,  they  will  sometimes  go  so  far 


.-i  t 


f/fw^- 


^  ■ 


*■'.'. 


>•  ■ 


♦-■*■ 


k'-^fl^'- 


h     V'.N  ••,'■■■  '' '' 


[•    •».      *■   .7'      _ 

*      ■  ■  mt  .*  ■      ■ 

I  ■■.*„<*. 


\^ 


1.  ••      *! . 


•J  •■*'■*'  ■ 


166 


DUTY  OF  THE  ciiKiarrAr* 


as  to  boast  of  some  which  they  have  iiover  committed. 
^fo(^e8ty  is  by  them  turned  into  ridicule,  and  piety  is  an  ob- 
iect  of  contempt  and  derision.  To  what  imminent  duiiger 
does  not  all  this  expose  a  young  man  who  is  still  virtuous,  if 
he  does  not  immediately  withdraw  from  such  pernicious  com« 
pany !  The  poison  of  sin  enters  his  heart :  at  first  h(^  is  re. 
strained  by  a  false  shame,  and  has  not  courage  to  reuruve 
tliose  who  are  offending  God,  or  oppose  the  evil  they  are 
committing ;  he  is  afraid  of  displeasing  thou^,.  or  of  being 
mocked  and  derided  if  he  do  not  as  Ihey  do ;  then  by  de- 
grees he  becomes  f<)  miliar  with  that  which  before  would 
have  made  him  shudder ;  he  gives  himself  up  to  the  same 
disorders,  and  ends  by  being  ashamed  of  his  former 
modesty. 

5th,  The  reading  of  bad  books,  which  fills  the  mind  with 
a  thousand  dangerous  thoughts,  and  the  imagination  with  a 
crowd  of  indecent  phantoms,  thence  the  poison  passes  into 
the  hetfrt,  and  produces  ruin  and  death.  One  bad  book  is 
sufl^cient  to  corrupt  a  multitude  of  young  people.  That 
pernicious  volume  passes  into  every  hand — the  contagion 
spreads,  and  infects  an  entire  household.  The  effect  is  still 
more  fatal  if  it  be  one  of  those  aboniinable  works  where 
passionate  intrigues,  lascivious  anecdotes,  and  obscene  de- 
scriptions are  joined  with  impious  maxims,  and  principles 
of  irreligion  capable  of  destroying  the  fear  of  God,  and 
shaking  the  foundations  of  Faith.  That  barrier  once  broken 
down  iiito  what  excess  will  not  they  go,  who  have  swallow- 
ed the  poison  ?  Into  what  disorders  may  they  fall,  and  who 
can  restrain  them  ?  Faith  is  the  best  safeguard  of  morals; 
it  is  the  strongest  dyke  that  can  be  opposed  to  the  passions, 
and  it  once  taken  away,  the  torrent  will  break  in  and  ravage 
all.  Faith,  so  long  as  it  exists  in  the  soul,  is  a  sort  of  war- 
rant that  virtue  may  return ;  if  we  do  wrong,  we  at  least 
condemn  and  reproach  ourselves ;  but  what  is  there  to  ar- 
rest the  downward  course  of  tho  sinner,  if  once  he  has  lost 
his  Faith :  Is  not  the  evil  then  almost  irremediable,  and 
should  we  not  entirely  despair  of  the  salvation  of  a  person 
who  has  fallen  into  such  a  state,  were  it  not  for  our  know- 
ledge of  the  infinite  mercy  of  God  ?  O  you,  then,  young 
people  !  who  have  as  yet  escaped  this  contagion,  beware  of 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


160 


reading  pernicious  books;  reject  them  witli  horror  wiuni 
tliejr  ure  otFered  to  you.  Should  one  of  them  fall  into  your 
bands,  do  not  even  look  at  it,  lest  you  might  be  tem|  ted  to 
read  it^  and  say  not  that  you  re»d  it  only  for  olitaining  iu- 
Btructi(in — to  adorn  your  mind  or  to  improve  your  style. 
You  can  derive  these  advantages  from  better  sources,  for 
there  is  no  lack  of  excellent  works  of  all  kinds,  which  may 
be  read  without  any  danger  to  morality :  consult  an  en- 
lightened man,  and  ho  will  point  oi^t  to  you  more  than  you 
could  read  in  the  course  of  a  long  life — works  which  uniw 
all  the  graces  of  style  with  sound  ano  useful  informatioiu 
A.nd,  moreover,  all  the  advantages  which  belong  n>erely  to 
this  world  would  be  too  dear  if  purchased  at  the  price  ol 
your  innocence.  If  you  give  the  preference  to  those  which 
may  corrupt  you,  it  will  then  be  passion  that  makes  the 
choice. 

Otli,  Plays.  It  is  in  theatres  that  the  demon  of  impurity 
displays  hid  ijotnp  with  so  many  charms  and  seducing  graces, 
tliat  the  most  solid  virtue  could  scarcely  withstand  it.  There 
every  thing  around  breathes  voluptuousnei^s !  the  decorations, 
the  effeminate  songs,  the  games,  the  dress,  all  is  adapted  to 
ensnare ;  nothing,  in  short,  is  more  opposed  to  the  spirit  of 
Christianity,  which  is  a  spirit  of  purity,  of  modesty,  of  prayer, 
and  of  penance. 

It  will  not  do  to  put  ofl*  avoiding  these  occasions  until  one 
goes  to  confession,  and  is  obliged  to  do  so ;  it  is  very  proper 
to  leave  them  off  before  presenting  one's  self  at  the  tribunal 
of  penance,  for  that  is  the  surest  guarantee  that  one  really 
proposes  to  c-jmmit  these  sins  no  more.  We  must  also  be- 
ware of  concealing  or  glossing  over  these  sins  in  confession, 
or  even  the  circumstances  which  accompany  them,  which 
often  make  part  of  the  sin  itself;  that  would  be  to  make 
confession  of  no  avail  and  even  commit  a  sacrilege>  thereby 
exposing  one's  self  to  utter  perdition. 

They  who  would  free  themselves  from  this  foul  sin  should 
confess  frequently  to  the  same  confessor,  a  pious  and  en- 
lightened director, — they  ought  carefully  to  shun  all  occa- 
sions which  may  lead  to  it — cherish  a  particular  devotion  to 
the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  offer  up  daily  some  prayer  with  that 
intention. 

15 


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^•j.  ',■;•;.,  f ;f  ■tiiiWami 

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170 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


Examples. — All  mankind,  without  distinction  Df  aex  or 
age,  were  buried  in  the  waters  of  the  deluge  excepting  only 
the  just  Noah  and  his  family,  because  that  "  all  jlesh  hud 
corrupted  its  ways  "  says  the  Holy  Scripture.  Five  infamous 
cities,  consumed  with  all  their  inhabitants,  by  a  shower  of 
fire ;  twenty-four  thousand  Israelites  put  to  death  in  one 
day  for  their  sins  of  impurity ;  and  God,  by  his  praises  and 
rewards  declaring  his  approval  of  that  fearful  slaughter,  are 
not  these  abundant  proof  that  the  Lord  holds  this  sin  in  it- 
ter  abomination,  and  that  he  frequently  punishes  it  even  in 
this  life  by  chastisements  the  most  terrible  ? 

Fathers  and  mothers,  masters  and  mistresses,  if  you  see  a 
Dad  book  in  the  hands  of  your  children,  of  your  pupils,  or 
servants,  have,  at  least,  as  much  zeal  as  Diderot — is  that  too 
much  to  ask  of  you  ?  Snatch,  then,  even  as  he  did;  snatch 
with  indignation  from  the  hands  of  that  young  person,  the 
book  in  which  Religion  was  not  treated  with  respect.  And 
yet  it  was  his  own  work  that  the  unbeliever  would  not  suf- 
fer his  daughter  to  handle.  It  might  have  been  said  to  him : 
If  your  doctrine  is  fatal,  as  you  appear  to  acknowledge, 
why  spread  it  abroad  amongst  men  ? — why  diffuse  through- 
out the  great  human  family  a  poison  which  you  considered 
deadly  as  regarded  your  own  ?  Merault. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

OF    THE    SEVENTH    COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shah  not  steal. 

Got)  forbids  us,  by  his  Seventh  Commandment,  to  take  or 
retain  unjustly  our  neighbour's  goods.  The  Master  of  all 
things,  he  distributes  them  as  be  pleases,  and  it  \j,  !iis  will 
that  we  should  respect  the  order  which  his  Providence  has 
established,  for  he  forbids  us  to  take  from  others  what  he 
has  given  to  them.  This  law  is  imprinted  in  our  he.'tvt:  let 
us  consult  it,  and  we  shall  find  that  wo  ought  not  to  do  un> 
to  others  what  we  would  not  that  they  should  do  unto  us. 
If  any  one  takes  away  from  us  that  M'lkfch  belongs  to  us, 


>.  .;i  .'_•     fill  ' 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


17t 


we  immediately  cry  out  against  his  injustice ;  and  injustice 
it  would  really  be ;  but  another  has  the  same  right  to  com- 
plain  when  we  disregard  the  rules  of  justice  in  depriving  him 
of  that  which  is  his.  Without  justice  society  could  not  sub- 
sist It  is  therefore  forbidden  to  injure  our  neighbour  in 
bis  goods,  in  one  way  or  the  other. 

He  who  tdkeih  the  goods  of  another.  Saint  Paul  tells  us, 
sluill  never  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  It  is  an  act  of  in- 
justice  to  take  the  goods  of  another  by  surprise,  violence,  or 
fraud,  that  is  to  say,  deceiving  our  neighbour  either  by  the 
weight,  the  quality,  or  the  measure  "f  merchandise  sold  to 
him. 

Children  are  no  more  permitted  to  steal  from  their  parents 
than  from  strangers  ;  that  being  a  real  theft  which  is  severe- 
ly censured  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  Scripture.  He  declares 
that  whosoever  stealeth  from  his  father  or  his  mother,  and 
says  that  he  sins  not,  is  equal  to  a  murderer.  And  why  so  ? 
Because  a  young  libertine  who  robs  his  parents  in  order  to 
gratify  his  passions,  evidently  shows  that  he  would  fain  take 
possession  of  their  property  and  enjoy  their  wealth  even  be- 
fore their  death,  which  event  he  considers  too  long  delayed ; 
his  heart  must  be  truly  a  barbarous  and  cruel  one,  utterly 
void  of  all  natural  feeling. 

It  is  also  an  injustice  to  retain  the  gcG^'s  of  our  neigh- 
bour, by  not  paying  him  what  we  owe  him,  such  as  the 
wages  of  servants  or  workmen.  "  If  any  man  hath  done 
any  work  for  thee  "  said  Tobias  to  his  son,  "  immediately 
pay  him  his  hire ;  and  let  not  the  wages  of  thy  hired  servant 
stay  with  thee  at  all."  It  is  an  injustice  not  to  restore  what 
Qas  been  confided  to  our  care,  to  appropriate  to  our  own 
use  things  which  have  been  found,  without  making  any  in- 
quiries after  the  owner  thereof,  or  to  lend  at  usurious  inter- 
est, tbat  is  to  say,  to  extort  more  than  we  have  lent.  *  It 
is,  moreover,  an  injustice  to  cause  any  damage  to  our  neigh* 
hour,  such  as  destroying  or  spoiling  what  belongs  to  him, 
whether  the  injury  is  done  by  ourselves  or  that  we  engage 
another  to  do  it. 


'■■■  >  >V  '-'■'■■■    ■ .  '   " 

^r^'-^.:-:yr.   .... , 
■?..■  -  '^' «■•■•■»;•■••  .'  ■•■  ■ 

•yf  ■.;  ■  ■:./■-■*  -. ',   , 

»."♦     '.i.v'-  ■.'.  : 


•  Although  it  is  lawful  to  lend  on  interest,  yet  it  is  only  when  the 
capital  is  alienated — when  the  loan  exposes  the  lender  to  any  damage, 
it|  deprives  him  of  a  r'^htful  gain. 


/^  ■ 


<«;,. 


i[r^ 

?'i:i";.''r  >i..»-,  «;•; 

,   •'  ■>    ir. 

,  V      .  '    •  ;r't-'-^ 

..,     i->  <•■-«<  •-; 

.■       •  »•  ,,  •■• 

t       ■* 
1     . 

■■'v;.-V-:*; 

/"' 

>.*■".>■'.•.'/* 

'•  ■.■■I'  ^* 


172 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


When  we  have  taken  any  thing  belonging  to  our  neigh, 
hour,  or  done  hitn  any  injury,  it  is  not  enough  to  repent,  nnd 
ask  pardon  of  God  ;  we  must  also  make  restitution  to  our 
neighbour  for  what  he  had  taken  from  him,  and  repair,  as 
far  as  we  can,  the  injurj'  which  he  has  sustained :  without 
this,  there  is  no  pardon  to  be  obtained,  nor  no  salvation  to 
be  expected,  for  we  cannot  enter  heaven  if  weighed  down 
with  our  neighbour's  goods.  When  one  is  not  able  to  make 
restitution  just  at  once,  he  must  at  least  have  a  sincere  in- 
tention of  fulfillmg  that  obligation  as  soon  as  he  can,  and 
he  must  exert  himself  to  the  utmost  in  order  to  obtain  the 
means  of  doing  it. 

This  commandment  obliges  us  also  to  give  alms,  each  ac- 
cording to  his  means  and  the  wants  of  the  poor :  of  this  we 
are  assured  by  the  wise  man,  when  he  says,  that  we  ought 
to  asrdst  the  poor  because  ot  the  commandment,  and  not  to 
abandon  them  in  their  distress.  St.  John  says  that  if  an} 
one,  having  wealth,  closes  his  heart  against  his  brother  who 
is  in  need,  charity  cannot  abide  in  him  ;  and  Jesus  Christ 
shall  consign  to  eternal  fire  those  who  refused  to  assist  him  m 
the  person  of  the  poor. 

"  We  are  obliged,"  says  St.  Thomas  "  to  give  alms  to 
those  who  are  in  wj-nt,  and  when  we  are  blessed  with  a 
superfluity,  according  to  our  state  and  condition. 

Although  the  word  alms  taken  literally,  signifies  the  dis- 
tribution of  temporal  goods  amongst  the  poor,  it  may  be 
said,  nevertheless,  that  there  aie  other  kind  of  alms  still 
more  meritorius,  and  it  consists  in  relieving  our  neighbour  in 
his  necessities  and  in  his  spiritual  wants.  All  men  aie  not 
enabled  to  give  alms  to  the  poor,  but  all  can  assist  them  in 
a  spiritual  manner,  in  contributing  to  their  salvation,  either 
by  giving  them  good  example,  by  procuring  it  for  them,  or 
by  giving  them  instruction.  This  obligation  is  especially 
binding  on  pastors,  and  on  all  those  who  are  charged  with 
instmcting  others  and  labouring  for  their  salvation  and  sanc- 
tification. 

It  is  doubtless  a  good  deed  to  save  the  life  of  a  poor  man 
who  is  in  danger  of  perishing  with  hunger ;  but  to  contri- 
bute to  the  salvation  of  a  soul,  is  an  act  whose  value  wijj 
only  be  known  in  the  other  world. 


'ith  a 

ne  dis- 

nay  be 

still 

|)our  in 

e  not 

letii  in 

ither 

m,  or 

cially 


man 
oiitri- 
e  wili 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


173 


"  He  *'  says  St.  John,  "  who  shall  gain  his  brother,  shall 
gave  his  soul  and  cover  the  multitude  of  his  sins.  He  who 
instructeth  others  shall  shine  like  the  stars  in  heaven.'' 

Examples. — A  Chinese  barber  who  was  a  Christian, 
found  in  a  street  in  Pekin  a  purse  contaijiing  twenty  gold 
pieces :  he  looked  around  to  see  whether  any  person  would 
claim  it,  and  supposing  that  it  might  belong  to  a  gentleman 
who  was  walking  some  paces  before  him,  he  called  to  him 
and  hastening  after  him,  said  :  "  Sir !  have  you  lost  any 
thing  { "  The  gentleman  thurst  his  hand  into  his  pocket  and 
found  that  his  purse  was  gone.  "  I  have  lost,"  he  rej)lied, 
M'ith  an  air  of  great  embarrasment,  "  1  have  lost  twenty  gold 
pieces  in  a  purse."-T-'*  Be  comforted  then,"^said  the  barber, 
''for  here  it  is — and  there  is  none  of  its  contents  lost,  I 
assure  you."  The  gentleman  took  the  purse,  and,  oiiee  re- 
covered from  his  fright,  he  began  to  express  his  admiration 
of  an  action  so  praiseworthy  performed  by  a  man  of  obscure 
condition.  "  But  who  are  you  ?  "  he  asked, — "  what  is  your 
name,  and  whence  do  you  come  ?  " — "  It  matters  little,"  re- 
turned the  barber  "  that  you  know  who  I  am ;  it  suffices  to 
tell  you  that  I  am  a  Christian,  and  one  of  those  who  profess 
the  holy  Law.  This  law  not  only  forbids  us  to  steal  the 
goods  of  another,  but  even  to  retain  what  we  find  by  cliance 
if  we  can  by  any  means  discover  the  owner."  The  gentle- 
man was  so  struck  by  the  beauty  of  tl^!  morality,  that  he 
instantly  repaired  to  a  Christian  church  in  order  to  be  in- 
structed in  the  Piysteries  of  Religion.        Edifying  Letters, 

A  famous  usurer,  being  at  the  point  of  death,  sent  for  a 
confessor.  The  latter  having  found  that  all  his  wealth  had 
been  acquired  by  the  unjust  practice  of  usury,  told  him  that 
he  must  absolutely  make  restitution.  "  But  what  will  be- 
come of  my  children  ?  "  inquired  the  sick  man.  "  The  sal- 
vation of  your  soul  "  returned  the  priest  "  ought  to  be  dear- 
er to  you  than  the  welfare  of  your  family." — 1  cannot  agree 
to  do  what  you  require,"  said  the  dying  man,  "  and  I  must 
only  run  the  risk.''  So  he  turned  upon  his  bed,  and  soon 
after  died.  And  what  a  death  !— How  it  should  cause  those 
to  tremble  who  owe  the  wealth  which  they  possess  to  fraud 
And  injustice.  Explanations  on  the  "mperial  Catechism. 


V 


."r»,'V.;i'.^.  .       ,   .,  , 

■>•  --^'r^  >:■■■■  -A'- 
V'     ■".■.■,■     <''*.; ." 


•I 


•K- 


■;)'•• 


(■•   «  .     »'.    .»    ■■  ■•  ■, 


ht-T-,  :*•■■»  ,  ».» 

'i  ••■■)'■■.  ,'r'..'-,  ^;  ' 

■  '.■■  V  ♦>     tr  . 

)■   ■■/r  >  ' 


■;     •    ■■:   J-   -^ 

<      '       •    .'■t,«.'l.'7v' 


Sll^'-.c-j^r 


Ih-    ■ 


••■t  .'.■  -, 


II 


if    v 


;"-^,' 


V.v       •.   *  •) 


174  DUTY    OF    THE    CHBISTIAM 

CHAPTER   IX. 

01     THE    EIGHTH    COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shall  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour. 

By  the  Eighth  Commandment  God  prohibits  all  inju*. 
(ice  towards  our  neighbour  done  by  false  or  unfavourable 
reports. 

God  is  truth  itself,  and  all  that  is  contrary  to  truth  is  of. 
\wnsive  to  Him :  this  is  the  foundation  of  the  proliibiiion 
which  we  find  so  often  repeated  in  Scripture  against  uttering 
what  is  not  true.  This  vice  is  in  fact  most  strongly  op|/osed 
to  the  society  or  fellowship  which  God  has  established 
amongst  men.  'For  what  purpose  has  speech  been  given 
them  (  Is  it  not  that  they  might  mutually  communicate 
their  thoughts  ?  It  is  then  to  abuse  the  gift  of  speech  to 
make  use  of  it  in  expressing  the  opposite  of  what  one  thinks. 
This  principle  is  so  evident  that  even  the  Pagans  understood 
it  fully,  and  by  some  amongst  them  it  was  scrupulously  prac- 
tised. Lying  is  so  odious  that  we  are  not  even  permitted  to 
use  it  through  sport,  or  for  amusement,  any  more  than  under 
tlie  pretence  of  being  useful  to  ourselves  or  our  neighbour; 
but  it  is  a  still  greater  crime  when  it  injures  our  neighbour, 
when  it  tends  to  defame  him,  for  instance,  attributing  to  hira 
a  vice  which  he  has  not,  or  a  fault  which  he  has  not  com- 
mitted :  this  is  what  is  called  calumny.  This  crime  has  in 
it  something  so  black  and  so  malignant  that  it  is  truly  re- 
volting to  an  upright  mind  "  The  tongue  of  the  calum- 
niator "  according  to  the  expression  of  Scripture  "  is  a  two- 
edged  sword  inflicting  mortal  wounds."  It  is  not  only  the 
fortune  of  his  neighbour  that  he  attacks,  it  is  his  honour,  liia 
reputation  of  which  he  would  unjustly  deprive  him,  that  ie 
to  say,  a  treasure  more  precious  than  gold,  and  of  which 
tlie  loss  is  much  more  sensibly  felt.  But  what  crowns  the 
enormity  of  this  crime  is  when  it  is  perpetrated  before  a 
magistrate,  and  confirmed  by  an  oath,  which  is  nothing  less 
than  deposing  against  the  known  truth.  The  false  witness, 
besides  the  attrocious  injury  which  he  inflicts  on  the  iiuio- 
cent  whom  he  seeks  to  ruin,  renders  himself  guilty  of  the 
most  horrible  impiety  as  regards  God,  whose  dreadiul  name 


i       #. 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


iVo 


he  profaneb  by  making  it  serve  to  support  falsehood  and  in- 
iquity. They  wiio  liave  injured  their  neiglibour  by  false  re* 
ports  are  bound  to  repair  vhe  injustice  they  have  committed 
together  with  all  its  evil  coiisequences;  they  must  re-estab- 
lish the  honour  which  they  have  taken  av/ay,  which  can 
only  be  done  by  the  public  avowal  of  their  imposture,  so 
that  they  must  absolutely  sacrifice  their  own  reputation  to 
restore  that  which  they  had  blighted  and  destroyed. 

This  commandment  also  forbids  us  to  slander  cur  neigh- 
bour, that  is  to  say,  to  publish  the  evil  that  he  really  has 
done.  So  long  as  his  fault  remains  hidden  he  preserves  his 
reputation,  and  to  publish  that  fault  is  to  deprive  him  unjust- 
ly of  his  good  name.  Should  we  like  to  have  our  own  hid- 
den faults  or  iailings  made  public  ?  Certainly  not — we 
should,  therefore,  be  silent  with  regard  to  those  of  our  breth- 
ren. Hence  it  is  that  detraction  is  set  down  in  Scripture 
amongst  the  crimes  which  exclude  from  eternal  happiness. 
Like  lire  that  is  carried  along  by  the  wind,  slander  passes 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  kindling  as  it  goes,  and  scorching,  at 
least,  what  it  cannot  consume  ;  it  is  a  restless  evil  which  dis- 
turbs society,  creates  dissension  in  families,  filling  all  with 
confusion  and  disorder :  it  is  the  poisonous  source  of  hatred 
and  revenge,  and  therefore  the  mainspring  of  numberless 
crimes  and  iniquities.  The  detractor  has  to  answer  for  all 
the  sin,  of  which  he  has  been  the  cause ;  he  has  sinned  in 
all  those  who  repeated  his  slander  after  him  :  he  has  sinned 
in  all  those  who  heard  it  with  pleasure,  for  it  is  not  only  for- 
bidden to  speak  ill  of  one's  neighbour,  but  even  to  listen  to 
detraction.  If  no  one  would  lend  an  ear  to  slander,  then 
tliere  would  be  no  slanderers.  The  complaisance  with  which 
their  detraction  is  heard  authorizes  and  encourages  them, 
and  hence  it  is  that  the  voluntary  listener  is  ^n  accomplice 
b  the  sin.  « 

Of  all  kinds  of  detraetion,  the  blackest  and  most  fatal  m 
its  results,  is  that  of  telling  one  person  in  secret  what  ano« 
ther  has  said  or  done  against  him :  these  reports  almost  in- 
▼ariably  give  rise,  in  the  heart  of  him  who  hears  them,  to 
hatred  and  a  desire  of  revenge,  which  terminates  i  i  irrecou- 
cileable  enmity. — The  accused,  unknowing  what  has  beeu 
Haid  of  hiiu   has  no  means  of  justifying  himself,  or  explain 


*  <*^        -  ■>      ^      ^  rMm     •  ■ 


•^'. 


t''   ■  ■■.':■ 


■\.,'- 

■V, 


■<•.♦.     ^ 


Urn-.    '*    :,  ■      .     j,*'^  •■ 
fj/-,      J.-::  .»      ■,■:■-,.■ 

••••^  ""•»  ■.*■••  ■  - ' 

/;*    A--:    ••'■ 
■'  •  i  ■■•■  :  ■ 


■'.•.-.>  - 


i,i!^ 


•  t. 


'       ■*  .    :.0-iS.. 


H 


■  '  ,  ''■"    . '■►^  A-  ;•       • 


J?,  v..  sV.  •*.••/ 

If-    -  "  ■■   •".-■..,^..i 


10 


DUTY  OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 


,  or  giving  satisfaction.  The  character  of  him  who  makes 
tliise  secret  reports,  is  traced  as  follows  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
ture. "  There  are  six  things  which  the  Lord  hateth,  and 
hib  lieart  abhors  the  seventh ;  this  seventh  thing  is  the  crime 
of  hlra  who  soweth  discord  between  brethren." 

It  is  nevertheless,  permitted  to  discover  the  faults  of  our 
neighbour  when  they  are  contagious,  and  may  injure  others. 
But  even  then  they  are  only  to  be  disclosed  to  those  who 
iiave  it  in  their  power  to  remedy  the  evil,  and  to  save  others 
from  falling  into  it;  in  that  case,  so  far  from  wounding  char- 
ity, we  do  but  fulfil  one  of  its  most  natural  and  most  urgent 
duties ;  it  is  really  doing  good  to  our  neighbour,  when  we 
endeavour  to  prevent  him  froin  destroying  himself  and 
others ;  it  is  doing  him  good,  when  we  prefer  to  his  reputa- 
tion, his  own  salvation  and  that  of  the  persons  with  whom 
he  lives.  Although  detraction  be  in  itself  less  criminal  than 
calumny,  nevertheless  its  consequences  are  still  more  fatal, 
and  the  injury  which  it  does  our  neighbour  is  all  but  irre- 
parable. In  fact,  when  one  has  imputed  to  another  a  fault 
which  he  never  committed,  he  can  and  ought  to  retract  the 
accusation,  and  by  that  disavowal  he  cures  the  wound  which 
he  had  inflicted,  and  re-establishes  the  reputation  he  had 
destroyed ;  but  when  he  has  only  told  the  truth  in  his 
disclosure,  then  he  cannot  retract,  without  uttering  a  false- 
hood, which  is,  of  course,  strictly  forbidden.  Thus  even 
should  he  obtain  the  grace  of  repentance,  it  is  scarcely  possi- 
ble for  him  to  repair  the  evil  he  has  done  or  caused  to  be 
done ;  he  must  nevertheless  do  all  that  he  can  to  that  effect 
by  publishing  all  the  good  that  he  knows  of  the  same  person, 
in  order  to  efface,  or  at  least,  weaken  the  bad  impression 
which  his  slander  had  caused. 

By  the  Eighth  Commandment  God  forbids  us  not  only  to 
•peak  ill  ^f  our  neighbour,  but  also  to  entertain  a  bad  opin- 
ion of  him  without  just  grounds.  We  are  not  permitted, 
then,  to  condemn  our  neighbour  on  slight  foundations,  or 
on  e(iuivocal  appearances ;  if  we  believe  him  guilty  with- 
out sufficient  proof,  we  are  ourselves  guilty  of  unjust  te- 
merity, since  we  expose  ourselves  thereby  to  condemn  the 
innocent.  He  has  a  right  to  our  esteem  so  long  as  he 
\B  not  convicted,  and  to  withdraw  it  from  him  iv^itJiout  suf- 


^< 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


m 


ficient  reason  is  to  do  him  serious  irjury.  Rash  judgment 
is  then  contrary  to  justice  and  not  less  hurtful  to  charity. 
That  virtue,  so  strongly  recommended  to  us  in  the  Gospel, 
leads  us  to  think  favourably  of  our  br'^thren,  to  put  a  good 
construction  on  their  actions,  and  to  excuse  in  them  what- 
ever is  not  manifestly  bad.  "  Charit}; "  says  St.  Paul, 
"  thinketh  no  evil ;  it  sees  no  crime  which  is  not  evid'^^nt, 
and  believeth  it  only  when  it  is  proved."  Indeed,  when  we 
love  any  one  we  are  more  disposed  to  believe  him  innocent 
than  guilty ;  how  should  we  ourselves  like,  if  without  any 
reasonable  grounds,  we  were  set  down  as  guilty  of  some 
bad  action,  or  subject  to  certain  faults? — We  should  not 
then  do  unto  others  what  we  would  \y.t  have  them  do  unto 
us.  It  would  be  still  a  rasher  judgment  and  also  more  crimi- 
nal,  to  attribute  bad  intentions  to  actions  in  themselves  good 
and  laudable,  and  to  suspect  evil  motives  in  those  whose  ex- 
ternal conduct  is  regular  and  edifying.  Yet  nothing  is  more 
common  than  to  see  malignity  breathe  its  venom  on  virtuous 
actions ;  that  excessive  malice,  which  sees  through  the  fair 
appearance  of  virtue  only  vice  itself,  can  only  proceed  from 
a  dark  and  corrupt  soul.  Virtuous  people  commonly  judge 
others  by  themselves  ;  even  as  they  are  upright  and  sincere, 
so  do  they  consider  others  to  be  :  they  are  edified  by  the  ex- 
terior semblance  of  virtue,  and  are  unwilling  to  believe  that 
such  appearances  can  conceal  vice.  Occupied  with  their 
own  faults,  for  ^'hich  they  are  to  account,  they  pay  no  at- 
tention to  those  of  others ;  anu  by  that  charitable  conduct 
towards  their  neighbour,  they  prepare  for  themselves  a  fa- 
vourabl-'  judgment  at  the  tribunal  of  God,  for  Jesus  Christ 
has  assured  us  that  we  shall  be  judged  ever  as  we  have 
judged  others. 

ExAMFLRS. — "  The  bishop  Firmus,"  says  St.  Augustin, 
**  through  charity  concealed  in  his  house  a  man  who,  if  taken, 
was  to  be  put  to  death.  The  impe^  ial  officers  demanded  ol 
the  bishop  if  he  knew  where  the  man  was.  "  I  cannot  an- 
swer you,"  said  Firmus  "  because  I  can  neither  tell  a  false- 
hood, nor  betray  him  whom  you  seek."  The  holy  bishop  was 
made  to  undergo  the  most  cruel  torments,  so  as  to  force  him 
to  tell  where  the  man  was,  and  he  was  even  threatened  with 


:■.*'■■■ 


>.»•. 


"•■•'■'■'  ""'"l-' . 
i'X.\  ■.•■'■'■  .''^'^•, I 

*  ■■•'•••    ;  "•  ■':■■■*- 


;^^« 


♦  fJ; 


•     ■     .        ..«:■■ 


■>:..s 


|l-'--',;.,.>iri.; 


■  ■  ■•..l^<,v,  ■  . 


,1     '■■/..    ._,.   ,^Vt.V 


'v''*:*';- 


......ir=" 


I.;   ;    ■.'• 


178  DUTY    OF    THE    CHKIBTIAN 

death !  **  know  how  to  suffer  and  to  die  "  he  replied  "but 
[  know  not  how  to  speak  either  against  truth  or  against  my 
neighbour."  He  was  brought  before  the  emperor,  who 
struck  with  his  eminent  virtue,  sent  him  away  unhurt,  and 
also  pardoned  the  man  whom  he  had  concealed.  From  this 
we  learn  that  it  is  better  to  suffer  death  than  to  utter  a  false- 
a>od,  or  to  speak  to  the  disadvantage  of  our  neighbour. 

Related  by  St.  Augustin. 

St.  Augustin,  in  order  to  prevent  detraction,  which  is  more 
common  during  meals,  had  two  Latin  verses,  of  which  the 
following  is  the  meaning,  inscribed  on  the  walls  of  the  apart- 
ment wherein  he  usually  eat : 

Away  with  all  slanderers, 

Whose  guilty  tcngue, 

Rends  the  reputation  of  the  obsent,  i 

Nought  is  permitted  at  this  table 

Save  harmless  conversation. 

And  one  day  when  some  of  his  friends,  began  to  speak 
of  the  faults  of  n  certain  person,  the  Saint  immediately  re- 
proved them,  saying  that  if  they  went  on  so,  he  must  either 
have  those  verses  effaced  from  the  wall  or  otherwise  he  must 
rise  from  table. — So  firm  should  we  be  in  preventing  slau- 
der  by  every  means  in  our  power. 

Life  of  St.  ^fugustiHt  by  Posaidius. 


CHAPTER   X. 

OF    THE    NIiMTH    COMMANDMENT. 

TJum  shall  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife. 

After  having  prohibited  by  his  Sixth  Commandment,  all 
external  acts  of  impurity,  God  forbids  by  the  ninth,  all  im- 
pure thoughts  and  desires.  We  must  not  imagine  that  we 
fulfil  the  whole  Law  under  this  head  %y  merely  abstaining 
from  the  ciiminal  action.  No,  that  is  not  sufficient,  for  even 
the  desire  is  a  crime.  God  who  fathoms  the  depths  of  the 
deart  and  of  the  will,  is  not  satisfied  'vith  external  purity, 
but  wills  that  our  hearts  be  also  pure  and  permits  us  not 


TO  WARDS  00l>. 


179 


even  to  dosire  that  which  ho  forbids  us  to  do.  The  very 
thought  of  doing  evil  renders  us  guilty  in  hia  eyes  when  ii 
is  voluntary  and  deliberate,  that  is  to  say  when  we  knowing- 
ly dwell  upon  it,  and  take  pleasure  therein  :  *  Evil  thoughts/' 
Bays  the  Scripture  *'  separate  from  God."  Thev,  therefore, 
bring  death  to  our  soul  if  we  are  not  careful  to  put  them 
away,  and  to  banish  them  at  their  very  first  approach. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  Law  of  (iod  reaches  the  very  root  of  the 
evil,  and  stifles  it  in  its  very  oriji^in.  Experience  proves 
that  one  comes  not  all  of  a  sudden  to  commit  criminal  ac- 
tions ;  it  is  only  by  degrees  that  we  are  led  into  them.  The 
evil  begins  by  a  passing  thought  which  is  allowed  to  remain 
in  the  mind,  and  is  entertained  with  pleasure;  from  thought 
springs  desire,  and  from  desire  one  passes  to  external  acts. 
"It  is  from  the  heart"  says  Jesus  Christ,  "  that  all  evil 
thoughts,  fornication,  and  murder,  proceed."  That  divine 
Master  ph-tces  evil  thoughts  at  the  head  of  all  crimes,  because 
they  are  their  origin  and  their  source.  The  true  means  of 
repressing  the  desire,  is  to  reject  the  thought,  as  the  })est 
means  of  preventing  the  bad  action  is  to  stitle  the  desire 
thereof  We  cannot,  indeed,  preserve  ourselves  from  the 
approach  of  bad  thoughts,  but  we  can  and  ought  to  reject 
them :  we  cannot  prevent  them  from  occurring  to  our  minds, 
but  it  is  in  our  power  to  shun  giving  occasion  to  them — or 
taking  pleasure  in  them,  and  we  are  also  to  combat  them 
and  struggle  against  them  as  often  as  they  present  thc'in- 
selves.  We  need  not  expect  unbroken  peace  in  this  life,  for 
it  is  one  of  warfare.  Virtue  does  not  consist  in  not  being 
attacked,  but  in  manfully  resisting  all  the  evil  suggestions  of 
our  passions,  and  in  keeping  clear  of  the  occasions  of  tempt- 
ation. If,  after  all  our  watchfulness,  it  does  present  itself, 
"ei  iiis  immediately  turn  away  our  attention,  elevate  our  heart 
to  God,  and  employ  ourselves  in  some  useful  occupation. 
It  ij!  fi  ffreat  remedv  against  that  vice  to  applv  one's  seU 
seriously  to  some  useful  labour,  and  never  to  remain  idlo. 
Only  let  the  devil  find  us  always  busy,  and  his  darts  will 
fall  powerless.  Let  us  be  faithful  and  fear  nothing !  W  the 
devil  importunes,  and  seeks  to  frighten  us,  let  us  close  our 
hearts  against  him  and  then  he  is  subdued.  If  we  attach 
ourselves  to  God,  he  will  never  permit  us  to  be  tennpted  be- 


--«niw 

"T^ 

•**-«t^H 

^^W 

■M 

••'/ 

t 

'         1 

1-  I 

^•ii 

i 

'  i»f  •  lis- 1,\ 

is  •■•'  w  '•••■■■  - 


H^V' 


'   ■   •      f  .  ■    ■'.  t  ^> 


■\ 


"■'■    \--. 


,  f 


,»'  ■«■■  ■■••=•" 


^f.  '.-,'  f-  . 


.■-.  ''  t, 

•.V.-,  •♦'■'  ';« 


W^   5*1-   '.    ■ 


,'•1 


••'..  1 


•;.t 


"'  ;-vr^7 


/  J\ 


.  ■'.'*■ 


il.'*.-J-. 


• ..,      •, .,  »••««<  •  -* 

I    .-    ■-.\.;.\;';. 

•'   •  •■•■J",;  V. 


180 


DUTY    or    THE    CHRISTIAN 


yond  our  strength  ;  then  the  temptation  against  ^  liich  wt 
have  struggled,  far  from  doing  us  harm,  will  he«;ome  ijie 
isau  "  of  our  triumph,  and  our  fidelity  shall  merit  an  eter. 
iial  reward. 

Example. — St.  Bernardine  of  Sienna  had  so  great  a 
horror  of  any  thing  contrary  to  chastity,  that  when  any  of 
his  companions  spoke  with  ever  so  little  freedom,  his  iace 
was  suffused  with  blushes.  His  presen  alone  restraincfl 
ihem  within  the  strictest  bounds  of  moe  ty.  When  I  hey 
eaw  him  approach,  they  said  to  each  otl  r :  "  Here  comes 
Bernardine, — let  us  take  care  of  what  we  say." 

Laaaussk. 


•4 


:^^>'''  ■..- 


*'.     .   * '.  •  * 

.k  ■  ■■■■t  •.,  ,.1,  ■■  *  , 

I    *  ■  -  »-  • .  * . 

6)  ■*.-•;*.   , 

"•^<i:i|  ■*-■'■:■; 


CHAPTER    XI, 

OP    THE    TENTH    COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shah  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  goods. 

God,  having  forbidden  us  by  the  Seventh  Commandment, 
pJther  to  take  or  to  retain  the  goods  of  another,  by  the  tenth 
krljids  us  evon  to  desire  their  possession.  Let  us  here  re- 
mri.'k  the  essentiftl  difference  which  exists  between  the  Law 
tk/  God  and  ^hv-  Jaws  of  men !  the  latter  regulate  only  the 
'\ierior  action"  of  men,  because  man  sees  only  what  meets 
his  eye  ;  b*Jt  the  Law  of  God  forbids  even  the  desire  or  the 
most  sec^-et  thoughts,  for  God  perceives  the  very  depths  of 
tlie  heprt.  Doubtless  it  is  not  forbidden  to  covet  what  be- 
longs to  another  when  we  propose  to  obtain  it  by  lawful 
means  and  with  the  consent  of  the  owner ;  otherwise  it  is 
not  permitted  to  purchase  any  thing.  When  we  buy  a  house, 
or  a  farm,  it  is  because  we  desire  to  have  it ;  but  that  desire 
is  perfectly  legitimate  when,  in  making  our  purchase,  we 
only  make  use  of  fair  and  lawful  means.  What  this  Com- 
mandment prohibits  is  the  desire  of  obtaining  unjustly  that 
which  belongs  to  our  neighbour — the  inordinate  love  of  riches, 
and  an  unjustifiable  eagerness  in  amassing  wealth — it  is, 
in  short,  that  cupidity,  which  St.  Paul  styles  the  root  and 
the  source  of  all  evil,  and  which  God  denounces  as  follows 


■a: 


\' 


TUWARDB  GOU.  181 

through  tho  prophet  Isaiah :  "  Woe  to  thee  who  join 
house  to  house,  and  land  to  land,  even  till  space  faileth  thee, 
as  though  thou  alone  were  to  inhabit  the  whole  earth  I  '•* 
Nothing  is  more  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  than  that 
greediness  for  riches  which  is  never  satisfied — never  content 
with  what  it  has,  and  always  fearing  to  lose  any  portion 
thereof — going  on  heaping  together,  and  accumulating  ns 
though  one  was  never  to  die.  A  man  who  is  given  up  to 
that  passion  is  solely  occupied  with  how  he  can  best  grat- 
ify his  desires.  He  thinks  of  '  v  day,  and  meditates  on  it 
by  night,  and  sacrifices  to  '  '  •     his  repose,  hia  health, 

and  even  his  life.      Seekmj.'    .  pretended  happiness, 

which  immagination  tells  hii  d  found  in  the  posses- 

sion of  wealth,  he  renders  hiuiselt  miserable,  and  his  years 
nre  past  in  incessant  torment  What  injustice  does  not 
iJiat  passion  induce  him  to  commit! — what  fraud — what 
violence  ! — He  counts  for  nothing  his  conscience  and  his  sal- 
vation, provided  he  can  only  increase  his  treasure  :  in  a 
word  he  knows  no  other  God  than  money.  Hence  it  is  that 
SL  Paul  calls  this  ^  ission  an  idolatry,  and  Our  Lord  tells  us 
in  the  Gospel  that  we  cannot  serve  two  masters — that  we 
cannot  at  the  same  time  love  God  and  money.  It  is  rutt 
that  He  forbids  us  to  possess  riches,  for  they  are  given  us  hy 
his  Providence;  but  he  forbids  us  to  attach  ourselves  to 
them — he  forbids  us  to  place  our  affections  upon  them,  or  to 
make  .^ur  happiness  consist  in  possesvsing  them ;  it  is  not 
wialth  that  ue condemns,  but  only  the  immoderate  desire  of 
obtaining  it.  And,  after  all,  how  could  the  possession  of  rich 
cs  confer  happiness  ? — Evanescent  are  they  and  perishable, 
costing  a  thousand  troubles  and  anxieties  ere  they  can  be  ol>- 
tained,  and  preserved  only  by  excessive  care — to  be  In  ken 
from  us  one  day  or  another,  without  any  manner  of  doubt, 
nor  can  we  carry  even  the  smallest  portion  from  this  world 
lo  the  next — riches  which  will  cause  us  the  keenest  anguish 
when  we  are  forced  to  leave  them  behind,  attached  as  we 
were  to  them — can  such  things  render  us  happy  ? — Nothing 
can  be  wiser  than  the  advice  given  us  by  the  holy  king 
David !  "  If  thou  hast  riches,  fix  not  thy  heart  upon  them  ; " 
and  if  God  has  no*  disposed  it  so  that  you  were  born  to 
wealth,  seek  not  to  become  rich.     This  is  the  counsel  giveu 


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182  DUTY  OF  THE  CHBIBTIATf 

US  by  Christ  himself!  "  Heap  not  up  to  yourselves  the  treas- 
ures of  the  earth,  which  the  rust  and  the  moth  consume 
but  seek  rather  to  lay  up  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither 
the  rust  nor  the  moth  doth  consume !  where  a  man's  treasutg 
it,  there  is  his  heart  also." 

Example. — Tobias,  having  lost  his  sight,  heard  the  b.eat- 
hig  of  a  kid  which  his  wife,  Anne,  had  received  in  payrueni 
for  her  labour,  and  he  said  to  her !  "  Beware  lest  it  may 
have  been  stolen.  Restore  it  to  those  to  whom  it  may  be- 
long. It  is  not  permitted  for  us  to  touch  any  thing  that  has 
been  stolen."  Finding  himself  near  his  end,  he  gave  this 
advice  to  his  son ;  "  If  any  man  have  worked  for  thee,  pay 
him  immediately  what  thou  owest  him,  and  let  not  the  wages 
of  thy  hired  servant  dwell  with  thee."  Job,  4 


CHAPTER   XII. 

OP   THE    COMMANDMENTS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

The  Church  has  power  to  make  commandments,  and  we 
are  bound  to  obey  her,  because,  being  guided  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  she  speaks  to  us  on  his  part.  God  will  only  regard 
as  his  children  those  who  respect  her  as  their  mother.  This 
power  abides  in  the  pastors  whom  she  appoints  to  govern  us, 
and  it  is  of  them  that  Our  Lord  has  said !  "  Whosoever  hear- 
eth  you,  heareth  me,  and  whosoever  despiseth  you,  despiseth 
me."  And  in  another  place,  "  He  who  will  not  hear  the 
Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  the  heathen  and  the  pubD- 
can."  The  Church  has  always  exercised  this  power,  which 
she  has  received  from  Jesus  Christ.  From  the  very  birth  of 
Christianity  the  Apostles  made  various  ordinances;  and  \\^ 
read  in  the  book  of  the  x\cts  that  St.  Paul,  going  from  city  to 
city,  commanded  their  observance  in  the  Churches,  and  that 
they  were  joyfully  received  by  the  primitive  faithful.  We 
ought,  therefore,  to  respect  them.  I'  would  be  invleed  diso- 
beying God  if  we  refused  to  submit  to  those  who  rule  ovor 
ns  «•  his  name       There  are   Six   Commandments  of  the 


•L"  •'■!:*•?■■■  Vf-s/: 


TOWARDS    GOn. 


163 


Cturch,  which  all  good  Catholics  are  bound  faithfully  to  ob- 
serve— these  we  shall  explain  in  the  following  articles. 

Examples. — A  certain  man  being  supposed  to  have  a  pre* 
possession  against  the  decisions  of  the  Holy  See,  a  friend  o! 
his  one  day  said  to  him :  "  I  pray  you  give  me  an  advice, 
and  tell  me  how  I  ought  to  act  ? — whether  am  J  to  think  with 
the  Pope  or  with  you  ? "  The  answer  was :  "  Keep  fas* 
hold  of  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  never  separate  yourself 
from  it.  Lasausse. 

*  God  will  not  damn  us,"  Said  a  bad  Christian  on  one  oc- 
casion, "  if  we  keep  his  own  Commandments,  even  though 
we  set  aside  those  of  the  Church."  He  was  answered  by 
another :  "  I  never  saw  any  one  who  despised  the  Com- 
mandments of  the  Church,  observe  with  fidelity  the  Com- 
mandments of  God."  .  Lasausse. 


ARTICLE    I. 

OF   THE    FIRST   COMMANDMENT    OF   THE    CHURCH. 

Sundays  and  Holydays  thou  shah  sanctify. 

The  First  Commandment  of  the  Church  obliges  us  t<i 
sanctify  the  festivals  which  she  has  instituted,  by  abstaining 
from  servile  works,  and  applying  ourselves  to  acts  of  piety 
and  religion.  Some  of  these  festivals  have  been  established 
to  celebrate  the  mysteries  of  our  Lord's  life,  his  Incarnation^ 
his  Nativity,  his  Circumcision,  his  Manifestation  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, his  Presentation  in  the  Temple,  his  Resurrection,  and 
his  Ascension  into  heaven,  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on 
the  Apostles,  and  the  mystery  of  the  divine  Eucharist. 

These  ni^^steries  being  the  source  of  all  the  graces  v/e  re 
ceive  from  God,  and  of  the  salvation  for  which  we  hope, 
tlieir  remembrance  ought  to  excite  in  us  sentiments  of  grati- 
tude,  adoration,  .and  confidence,  animating  us  to  gather  the 
fruits  thereof  by  an  increase  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity. 
The  other  festivals  are  intended  to  commemorate,  in  the  most 
Holy  Virgin  and  the  Saints,  the  graces  which  God  poured 


-•*• .»'  ■;->^i,!    ••  .■•. 

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npon  i,hein,  and  the  glory  wherewith  he  has  crowned  then^ 
ITiey  refer  to  their  principal  virtues,  and  encourage  us  U) 
imitate  them  by  pointing  out  to  our  view  the  ineffable  hap> 
piness  which  is  their  reward.  At  the  same  time,  convinced 
of  our  own  weakness,  of  which  we  are  continually  remind* 
ed  by  experience,  let  us  beg  of  them  to  employ  on  our 
behalf  their  credit  with  Almighty  God,  and  to  obtain  for  us 
through  the  merits  of  our  common  Redeemer,  the  grace  to 
walk  in  their  footsteps,  to  the  end  that  we  may  one  day  ar* 
rive  at  that  eternal  felicity  which  they  now  enjoy.  This  ia 
the  reason  why  the  Church  annually  brings  before  our  eyes 
the  blessings  of  God  and  the  examples  of  the  Saints. 

In  the  Old  Law  God  prescribed  to  the  Israelites  a  certain 
number  of  festivals,  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  won* 
ders  hf  had  wrought  in  their  favour.  It  is  after  this  divine 
model  that  the  festivals  of  the  Christian  Church  have  been 
established,  in  order  to  honour  God,  to  instruct  the  faithful, 
and  to  nourish  their  piety.  The  majesty  of  the  divine  offices, 
the  instructions  we  receive,  and  the  holy  hymns  which  re- 
sound through  the  temples  carry  us  back  in  spirit,  to  the 
times  and  places  wherein  those  mysteries  were  accomplished; 
and  we  adore  Jesus  Christ  as  though  those  scenes  were 
really  passing  before  our  eyes.  These  grand  objects,  thus 
made  present  by  faith,  and  seconded  by  the  teachings  and 
exhortations  of  our  pastors,  do  much  to  increase  fervor  and 
piety.  It  is,  moreover,  aim  opportunity  for  the  most  unlearned, 
and  even  children,  to  b  de  acquainted  with  the  cause  oif 
the  festival,  and  to  learn  _  ^j  nistory.  The  Church  commands 
her  pastors  to  make  these  things  known  to  their  respective 
fioeks ;  and  it  h  her  wish  that  parents  should  do  the  same 
by  their  children  >  This  is  what  God  prescribed  to  the  Is* 
raelites ;  having  commanded  them  to  sacrifice  every  year 
the  paschal  7amb,  and  to  celebrate  the  festival  of  the  Azymes, 
he  announced  to  them  the  reason  of  that  institution, 
•*  When  your  children  "  said  he,  "  shall  ask  you  what  does 
this  worship  mean,"  you  will  say  unto  them :  "  It  is  the  vi^ 
tim  of  the  passage  of  the  Lord,  when  striking  the  first-boro 
of  the  Egyptians  he  passed  over  our  houses  and  preserved 
them." 

If  we  would  duly  sanctify  festivals  we  must  enter  into 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


185 


(he  ipirit  of  the  Church,  consider  the  mysteries,  or  the  lvt9 
of  whatever  Saint  is  then  proposed  to  us, — praise  God  for 
his  blessings,  and  beg  of  him  the  grace  to  profit  by  them. 
We  ought  to  excite  ourselves  to  practise  the  virtues  which 
shone  pre-eminently  in  the  Saint  honoured  on  that  day,  to 
the  end  that  we  may  one  day  share  in  the  happiness  the 
Saints  now  enjoy.  We  should  beseech  them  to  intercede 
for  us  with  God,  and  to  obtain  for  us  that  assistance  of 
which  we  stand  in  need. 

Example. — The  impious  Nicanor  having  taken  the  re- 
solution to  attack  the  Jews  on  the  Sabbath  day,  a  certain 
number  of  other  Jews  whom  necessity  retained  in  his  army, 
represented  to  him  that  it  was  not  proper  to  offer  battle  oa 
a  day  consecrated  to  the  Lord.  But  he,  puffed  up  with  hia 
empty  greatness,  replied :  "  Is  there  a  mighty  God  in  hea« 
ven  who  commands  us  to  celebrate  the  Sabbath  ? " — "  Yes,** 
returned  the  Jews  modestly,  "  He  is  the  Living  God  and  the 
Omnipotent  Master  of  heaven." — "  Well ! "  answered  the 
haughty  Nicanor,  "  I  who  am  all-powerful  on  earth,  com« 
mand  you  to  take  up  arms  in  obedience  to  the  orders  of  the 
king." — Nicanor  gave  battle,  was  defeated,  and  found 
wnongst  the  slain.  n.  Maccabbes,  15. 


ARTICLE    IL 

OF   THE   SECOND   COMMANDMENT. 

Sundays  and  Holydays  Mass  thou  shaU  hear. 

Of  all  the  works  of  piety  by  which  we  ought  to  sanctify 
Sundays  and  festivals,  the  principal,  and  the  most  essential 
is  that  of  hearing  Mass,  and  the  Church  makes  it  an  expresi# 
Commandment.  Sacrifice  is  the  holiest  act  of  Religion,  and 
tliat  which  renders  to  God  the  most  perfect  honour ;  so  the 
obligation  of  assisting  thereat  on  every  day  consecrated  to 
His  worship  is  as  ancient  as  the  Church.  We  read  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
which  is  Sunday,  the  faithful  assembled  for  the  breaking  oif 
bread,  which  signifies,  the  offering  up  of  the  holy  Sacrifice 


i»>-.; 


i'^V^  :!.'•>.  ■•■■•':  ^ 

■  .: '  •r^'ji  i  ■  •-  *■ '  •  • 
■,'••:  V  >'C.'>,.-f '^  • 
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*..'  ■•  . 


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DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAIf 


and  the  participation  thereof.  The  parish  Mass,  wJ>ien  tht 
pastor  offers  up  the  holy  Sacrifice  in  the  midst  of  his  assem. 
bled  flock,  is  a  faithful  imitation  of  what  was  observed 
amongst  the  first  Christians ;  for  it  is  at  that  Mass,  celebrat> 
pd  by  the  pastor,  that  all  the  faithful  ought  to  assist,  and 
they  do  not  fulfil  the  intention  of  the  Church,  if  without  any 
lawful  hinderance,  they  content  themselves  with  hearing  a 
Jow  Mass.  In  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  the  only  legiti 
mate  assembly  was  that  wherein  the  bishop  presided  in  per- 
son. In  later  times,  when  the  Christians  had  become  more 
numerous,  each  diocese  was  subdivided  into  different  parish- 
es, to  which  the  bishop  sent  priests  to  govern  under  his  au- 
thority,  to  instruct  the  faithful,  to  celebrate  the  holy  Sacri- 
fice, and  administer  the  Sacraments.  Since  that  establish- 
ment, the  faithful  are  bound  to  assist  at  the  parish  Mas& 
This  obligation  is  founded  on  the  most  solid  reasons:  each 
parish  is  a  family  of  whom  the  priest  is  the  father  and  the 
head ;  is  it  not  then  perfectly  just  that  all  those  who  com- 
pose it  should  assemble  with  their  chief  to  render  unto  God 
the  solemn  worship  of  Sacrifice  and  of  adoration  ?  The 
parochial  Mass  is  said  for  all  the  faithful  assembled  under 
one  head,  and  in  their  name  ;  they  ought  then  to  unite  with 
their  priest  in  that  august  function  and  hear  his  voice  raised 
on  their  behalf.  The  instructions  there  given  are  addressed 
to  the  parishioners,  and  are  adapted  to  their  spiritual  wantii, 
which  their  pastor  knows  better  than  any  other ;  they  are 
therefore  more  useful. 

To  satisfy  this  obligation,  we  must  hear  the  entire  Mass; 
for  it  would  certainly  not  fulfil  the  commandment  were  one 
to  arrive  when  the  Mass  was  already  far  advanced,  or  leave 
the  Church  before  its  conclusion.  It  must  be  heard  with  at- 
tention, piety,  and  respect,  not  merely  being  present  in  the 
body ;  we  must  also  join  with  the  priest  who  speaks  to  God 
in  the  name  of  all  present,  and  offers  himself  with  Jesns 
Christ  and  the  entire  church.  To  have  voluntary  distrac- 
tions, to  gaze  around,  or  to  hold  any  conversation,  is  neithei 
hearing  Mass  nor  fulfilling  the  precept  of  the  Church ;  it  is 
outraging  Jesus  Christ,  renewing  the  opprobriuno  of  Calva- 
ry, and  dishonouring  Religion.  We  must  then  apply  o\» 
selves  to  prayer  during  all  the  time  of  the  holy  Mass,  ma* 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


187 


king  use  either  of  a  book,  or  beads,  or  some  other  means  of 
keeping  the  attention  fixed. 

It  is  not  enough  to  assist  at  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy- 
da;;  ^  ,  we  ouglit  also  to  assist  as  much  as  possible  at  the 
other  exercises  of  the  Church,  to  read  some  pious  book,  <kc. 
The  Church,  when  she  places  ^t  the  head  of  the  acts  ol 
piety,  the  assisting  at  the  holy  Mass,  does  not  thereby  ox- 
empt  us  from  the  others ;  and  if  she  rests  more  on  the  obli- 
gation of  the  Mass,  it  is  because  that  is  th*e  most  important 
action,  and  the  last  that  can  be  dispensed  with. 

Example. — Even  the  fury  of  the  persecutions  did  not  pre- 
vent the  faithful  from  celebrating  the  festivals  of  the  Church. 
A  Christian  virgin  named  Anysia,  being  on  her  way  to  the 
assembly  of  the  faithful,  she  was  seen  by  a  soldier  of  the 
Emperor's  guard,  \vho  was  much  struck  by  her  modesty. 
Going  up  to  her,  he  said:  "Stay!  where  art  thou  going?** 
.\nysia,  fearing  that  he  meant  insult  to  her,  made  the  sigu 
of  the  cross  on  her  forehead  to  obtain  from  God  strength  to 
withstand  the  coming  ten^ptation.  The  soldier  was  offended, 
l>ecause  she  made  him  no  other  answer  than  that  sign.  Lay- 
ing hold  of  her — he  said  angrily :  "  Answer  me  ! — who  art 
thou  ? — where  art  thou  going  ? "  She  replied  courageous- 
ly!  "  I  am  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  am  on  my  way  to 
Uie  assembly  of  the  Lord." — "  Thou  shalt  not  go  iliere  ;  I 
shall  bring  thee  to  sacrifice  to  the  gods ;  to  day  we|ire  ador- 
ing the  sun,  and  thou  shalt  adore  him  with  us."  At  the 
same  time  he  tore  away  the  veil  which  had  covered  her  face, 
Anysia  tried  to  prevent  him,  and,  slapping  him  on  the  face, 
Bhe  said !  "  Avaunt,  thou  wretch ! —  Jesus  Christ  will  punish 
thee ! "  Whereupon  the  soldier  became  so  furious  that  he 
drew  his  sword,  and  plunged  it  into  her  heart.  She  fell 
bathed  in  her  blood,  but  her  soul  was  crowned  with  celestial 
glory.  Fleury.    Ecclesiastical  iUUttr^. 


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188 


1IUTT    OF   Till    CHRIITIAH 


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Iff.  V.Y.*.  •"*-(!, 


ARTICLE   III. 

OF   THE    THIRD    COMMANDMENT. 

Confess  thy  sins  at  least  once  every  year. 

By  this  commandment  the  Church  ordains  two  things* 
the  first  is  to  confess  at  least  once  in  the  course  of  the  year, 
after  having  attained  the  age  of  discretion,  that  is  to  say, 
when  once  capable  of  discerning  good  from  evil,  and  cense* 
quently,  of  committing  mortal  sin ;  the  second  is  to  confess 
to  our  own  pastor,  or  parish  priest.  By  this  wise  rule  she 
wishes  to  remedy  two  abuses ;  in  the  first  place  she  would 
put  some  restriction  on  the  negligence  of  bad  Christians  who 
passed  several  years  without  approaching  the  tribunal  of 
Penance,  standing  still  in  their  old  habits  of  sin.  In  tha 
second  place  she  would  thereby  prevent  the  abuse  of  per. 
sons  applying  to  strange  priests  who  knew  nothing  of  them, 
in  order  more  easily  to  obtain  absolution,  without  being 
obliged  to  renounce  their  sins  or  reform  their  life. 

To  accomplish  the  precept  of  the  Church,  we  are,  there- 
fore,  bound  to  present  ourselves  at  least  once  a  year  at  the 
tribunal  of  Penance,  and  there  to  make  an  humble  confession 
of  our  sins  to  our  own  pastor,  or,  with  his  permission,  to 
some  other  approved  priest. 

Although  the  Church,  through  condescension,  requires  but 
one  annual  confession,  in  order  to  accommodate  those  who 
find  that  duty  hard  and  painful,  yet  it  is  her  desire  that  all 
should  confess  more  frequently,  as  shewn  by  the  words  ai 
least,  which  she  adds  to  the  Commandment.  Thus,  although 
we  do  not  absolutely  transgress  the  precept  of  the  Church 
so  long  as  we  confess  even  once  a  year,  that  is  not  sufficient 
for  her  intention,  nor  does  it  satvsfy  her  desire,  especially 
when  any  one  has  had  the  misfortune  of  falling  into  mortal 
sin.  God  obliges  all  who  feel  themselves  guilty  not  to  defer 
their  return  to  him ;  we  must  therefore  apply  as  soon  as  pos* 
lible  to  a  prudent  and  enlightened  priest,  in  order  to  obtaio 
advice  that  may  assist  us  to  arise  again.  The  precept  of 
the  Church,  far  from  dispensing  with  this  obligation,  has  no 
other  purpose  than  to  prevent  us  from  becoming  fixed  in  a 
state  of  sin,  to  the  utte    ruin  of  our  soul.     When  the  body 


'i::^r-''H 


T0WARU8   eOD.  ISt 

li  attacked  by  disease,  do  we  wait  a  whole  year  before  w« 
lend  for  a  physician  ?  And  moreover,  do  we  not  expose  ou^• 
selves  to  die  in  mortal  sin,  by  remaining  in  it  for  the  greatei 
part  of  our  life  ?  For  the  rest,  experience  proves  that  one 
confession  in  the  whole  year  is  not  sufficient  for  keeping  up 
8  Christian  life ;  those  who  confine  themselves  to  that,  art 
generally  engaged  in  some  criminal  courses,  which  they  do 
Dot  choose  to  give  up,  and  hence  even  that  one  confession  if 
I  bad  one ;  hence  they  do  not  even  fulfil  the  Commandment 
of  the  Church,  who,  by  imposing  on  her  children  the  law  of 
innual  confession,  obliges  them  at  the  same  time  to  bring  to 
the  Sacrament  the  dispositions  necessary  in  order  to  receive 
Its  fruit.  To  approach  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  without 
s  serious  examination  or  a  true  contrition,  is  not  fulfilling  th« 
precept  of  the  .Church,  but  only  adding  a  new  sin  to  those 
already  committed.  In  a  word  the  Commandment  of  the 
Church  is  not  obeyed  by  making  a  bad  confession.  The 
Church  has  not  fixed  the  precise  time  for  the  annual  confes- 
sion ;  but  as  she  ordains  in  the  same  Canon  that  all  should 
communicate  at  Easter,  she  evidently  desires  that  this  coiv 
fession  should  be  made  about  the  time  of  Lent,  so  as  to 
serve  as  a  preparation  for  the  Easter  Communion.  It  is, 
therefore,  very  proper  to  present  ourselves  at  the  Sacred  tri- 
bunal early  in  Lent,  so  as  to,  receive  the  advice  of  our  Con- 
fessor in  preparing  for  that  important  act 

Examples. — The  venerable  Bede  relates  in  his  history  of 
England,  that  Conrad,  a  very  pious  prince,  had  in  his  court 
a  nobleman  to  whom  he  was  much  attac  ;-i  because  of  his 
great  services,  but  who,  notwithstanding  th  j  earnest  entrea- 
ties of  the  prince,  remained  several  years  without  approacb- 
tng  the  tribunal  of  Penance.  He  was  at  length  attacked  by  a 
dangerous  illness,  whereupon  the  king  went  to  see  him,  and 
urged  him  to  send  for  a  confessor,  but  even  then  he  would 
not  consent.  The  king  went  again  to  visit  him,  and  finding 
him  in  the  last  extremity,  implored  him  not  to  die  in  that 
state.  But  the  unhappy  man,  having  remained  some  time 
silent,  fixed  a  wild  stare  on  the  king,  and  exclaimed :  "  It  if 
too  late — I  am  lost — hell  is  my  portion ! "  and  with  thetie 
terrible  words,  he  expired  in  impenitence  and  despair. 

Beds     History  of  Engtatult  book  S. 


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A  certain  preacher  commenced  in  the  following  manner,  n 
infltniction  on  the  delay  of  conversion :  "  My  brethren," 
said  he,  "  while  on  my  way  to  exercise  my  ministry  amongst 
you,  I  was  called  upon  to  witness  a  harrowing  spectacle,  a 
young  man  was  driving  furiously  alonff  the  street,  and  hig 
carriage  broke  down — he  was  not  killed  on  the  instant,  tu 
be  sure,  but  there  was  not  a  single  limb  of  his  that  did  not 
•UBtain  some  injury,  so  that  he  was  in  downright  anguish. 
The  people  gather  around,  express  their  sympathy  and  con>> 
passion,  and  talk  of  going  to  fetch  a  doctor :  "  A  doctor"  he 
criesr-"  At  Easter  I  will  have  a  doctor !  "  You  may  guess 
how  great  was  the  astonishment  of  the  spectators,  wlio,  verT 
naturally,  concluded  that  he  was  deranged.  You,  my  bretil 
ren !  will  be  no  less  surprised  if  we  ask  you  "  is  not  this  fool 
like  unto  yourselves?" — Hurrying  on  in  the'career  of  vice 
you  are  suddenly  cast  down  by  some  fatal  accident ;  the 
noblest  part  of  you — ^your  soul  is  more  than  wounded— it 
is  dead ;  you  are  told  of  a  physician  who  is  very  powerful, 
not  of  himself,  it  is  true,  but  in  virtue  of  his  mission  received 
from  God,  and  who  is  able  to  restore  you  to  life;  your 
answer  is  ever !  '  At  Easter — at  Easter  I  will  apply  to  that 
physician !  *  And  how  many  are  there  who  put  no  term  to 
their  delay  ? "  This  similitude  made  a  lively  impression  on 
the  minds  of  his  hearers,  the  greater  part  of  whom  hastened 
to  approach  the  tribunal  of  Penance. 

Merault.     Teaching  of  Religiony  vol  I 


'  P.r, 


^»  {>  •  I*  ,     r. . 


ARTICLE   IV. 

OF   THB    FOURTH   COMHANDMENT. 

Receive  your  God  about  great  Easter  day 

The  Church  by  her  fourth  Commandment,  ordains  that 
all  the  faithful  should  receive  the  holy  Sacrament  with 
respect  at  Easter  time,  and  each  in  his  own  parish,  and 
threatens  with  excommunication  all  those  who  fail  to  ful^ 
that  duty. 

All  the  faithflil,  and  even  children  who  have  made  theif 
first  communion  are  obliged  to  observe  this  precf  pt. 


TOWARDS   <30D. 


lOi 


The  reason  which  induced  tho  Church  to  make  this  Com. 
Oiandment  is  the  indifTerence  of  a  great  number  of  Chris* 
linns  for  this  august  Sacrament,  notwithstanding  that  Jesui 
Christ  threatens  to  deprive  of  spiritual  lifo  those  who  refuse 
to  participate  in  the  Sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood.  The 
primitive  faithful  communicated  v«rrv  often ;  they  regarded 
the  Eucharist  as  the  daily  bread  of  the  children  of  God,  and 
thoy  knew  no  grief  more  sensible  than  that  of  boitij.'  de- 
prived of  it.  In  the  course  of  time,  charity  waxed  cold, 
people  absented  themselves  from  the  holy  Communion,  and 
many  Christians  went  so  far  as  to  pass  several  years  with- 
ont  approaching  the  holy  Trtl)le.  It  is,  then,  to  prevent  so 
grievous  a  disorder  that  the  Church  requires  all  her  children, 
under  the  most  severe  penalties,  to  receive  the  divine  Eu- 
charist at  least  at  Easter.  Although  she  only  obliges  them 
to  receive  once  in  the  year,  she  desires,  nevertheless,  thai 
they  should  approach  more  frequently,  for  instance,  at  each 
of  the  great  festivals. 

She  has  even  declared  her  wish,  in  the  Holy  Council  of 
Trent,  that  the  faithful  should  Communicate  as  often  as  they 
assisted  at  Mass,  so  as  to  derive  the  utmost  profit  from  the 
Sacrifice.  Hence,  by  receiving  only  at  Easter,  we  do  in- 
deed accomplish  the  precept  of  the  Church,  but  we  do  not 
fulfil  the  extent  of  her  desire.  In  fact,  it  can  scarcely  be 
supposed  that  one  Communion  in  the  whole  year  should  be 
Eufiicient  to  preserve  and  maintain  the  spiritual  life,  which 
is  the  life  of  grace ;  it  is  even  to  be  feared  that  we  do  not 
thereby  satisfy  the  precept,  because  we  expose  ourselves 
to  communicate  unworthily,  and  a  bad  Communion,  far 
from  fulfilliiigr  the  law,  is  a  horrible  sacrilege  and  an  outrage 
offered  to  the  Church,  She  commands  us  to  Communicate 
with  aJ  respect,  and  that  respect  consists  principally  in  hav- 
ing the  conscience  purged  from  all  mortal  sin  ;  it  is  to  show 
to  us  this  intention  that  she  desires  the  Paschal  Communion 
to  bo  deferred  for  a  time,  when  there  is  any  just  and  reason- 
able cause.  There  is  no  reason  for  postponing  it,  so  just 
or  rational  as  the  need  of  being  perfectly  purified ;  but  it 
must  be  observed  that  the  delay  is  to  be  made  use  of  for 
preparing  one's  self,  and  should  be  curtailed  as  much  as  pos- 
Bible ;  for  although  the  prescribed  fortnigJu  may  be  passed. 


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102 


DUTY    OP   Till    CURIlTIAIf 


mmwH 


I  -i^^  "■•.'■  li*. 


Uie  oY>ligatioii  of  receiving  rloos  not  pass,  but  is  always  bind, 
iiig  upon  us  until  it  is  fulflllod. 

ExAMPLR. — A  bad  Christian  once  went  to  his  parish  prieM, 
and  said  to  him :  •'  Will  your  Uuveronce  lie  good  enough  to 
come  into  the  sacristy  and  hear  my  confession,  for  I  want 
to  make  my  Easter  Communion.  Of  course  we  must  ohoy 
the  Church,  and  one  of  her  Commandments  is  '  Receive  thy 
God  about  great  Easter  day.' " — "  Very  good,"  said  the  priest, 
"  but  remember  that  there  are  certain  conditions  required 
Have  you  these  necessary  dispositions  ? — I  doubt  it  much, 
for  I  know  you  very  well." — "  You  know,  then,  that  I  lead 
u  good  life,  returned  the  parishioner.  "  You  wish  to  make 
your  Easter  Communion  to-morrow,  in  obedience  to  tiie 
Church,"  said  the  priest,  "  but  is  there  not  another  precept  9 
of  the  Church,  which  says  '  Sundays  and  hnlydays  Mass 
thou  shah  hear,  and  I  scarcely  ever  see  you  at  Mass,  on 
either  Sunday  or  festival^  Is  there  not  another  Command- 
ment *  and  kolydays  sanctify  throughout  the  year*  and  yet 
you  work  on  those  days.  Is  it  not  commanded  *  On  Fridays 
and  Saturdays  flesh  thou  shah  not  eat,'  and  although  you 
are  in  good  health,  you  eat  meat  every  day.  And  again, 
the  Church  says  '  Lent,  Ember-days,  and  vigils  thou  shall 
fast ' — Do  you  obey  that  precept  ? "  He  replied  :  "  I  always 
fast  on  good  Friday — be  assured  I  do." — "  But  I  know,  more- 
over," resumed  the  priest,  "  that  you  get  drunk  two  or  threo 
times  in  the  week,  and  instruct  your  children  so  well,  that 
(hey  can  curse  and  blaspheme  just  as  well  as  yourself." — 
"  I'll  tell  your  reverence  all  that  in  my  confession ; — come 
and  hear  me,  if  you  please,  for  I  want  to  make  my  Easter 
Communion — that  is  all." — "I  consent"  replied  the  priest 
'to  hear  your  confession,  but  before  you  can  make  }our 
l|aster  Communion,  you  will  have  to  reform  your  life." 

____^^^  Lasaussb. 

ARTICLE   V. 

OF   THE    FIFTH   COMMANDMENT. 

Lent,  Ember-days,  and  Vigils  thou  shalt  feut. 
Tub  Church  commands  us  to  fast  during  the  whole  Lenl^ 


ll 


TOWARD!   OOD.  109 

on  the  Vigils  of  certain  solemn  festivals,  and  those  three  days 
of  each  season  which  are  named  Emb  irdays.  The  fast 
consists  in  talcing  but  one  meal  ^nd  in  abstaining  from  cer* 
tain  things,  such  as  meat,  6cc. 

The  fast  of  Lent  is  of  the  highest  antiquity,  and  its  insti 
tation,  may  be  traced  to  the  Apostles  themselves.  It  was 
established  in  imitation  of  that  of  Our  Lord,  and  to  prepare 
us  to  celebrate  worthily  the  great  festival  of  Easter,  'lliis 
fast  has  always  been  more  rigorously  observed  than  the 
others :  on  ordinary  fast  days  we  take  our  repast  before  the 
bour  of  Nones,  that  is  to  say  at  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon,  whilst  in  Lent  we  neither  eat  nor  drink  till  after  the 
hour  of  Vespers,  being  six  o'clock  in  the  evening.  To  this 
rigorous  fast  the  primitive  Christians  added  long  prayers, 
even  during  the  night :  they  spent  the  time,  moreover,  in  the 
greatest  recollection  and  gave  abundant  alms.  But  the  first 
fervour  having  decreased,  the  repast  was  then  ')^aken  about 
noon«day,  and  people  began  to  think  that  they  might  take  a 
little  nourishment  towards  the  evening  so  as  to  enable  them 
to  bear  the  fast  till  the  following  day..  The  Church  tolerates 
this  collation  so  that  it  be  very  light,  and  not  to  be  made  a 
meal,  for  it  is  essential  to  the  maintenance  of  the  fast,  that 
there  be  but  one  meal  taken. 

The  fast  of  the  Ember-days  was  instituted  to  consecrate 
by  penance  the  four  seasons  of  the  year,  to  draw  down  the 
blessing  of  God  on  the  gifts  of  the  earth,  and  to  implore  him 
to  give  good  ministers  to  his  Church,  that  being  the  time 
when  those  who  are  destined  for  the  august  functions  of  the 
altar,  usually  receive  holy  orders. 

Finally,  Vigils  are  the  days  which  precede  the  principal 
feasts.  They  are  so  called  because  in  former  times  the 
faithful  used  to  assemble  in  the  churches  on  the  eve  of  the 
great  festivals,  and  passed  there  a  portion  of  the  night  in 
praising  God  by  the  singing  of  psalms  and  reading  of  piout 
liooks,  as  we  still  do  on  the  eve  of  Christmas.  We  fast  on 
those  days  in  order  to  dispose  ourselves  to  celebrate  the  com 
ing  festival  in  a  proper  manner,  and  to  derive  good  fruit  from 
its  due  observance. 

The  law  of  fasting  is  obligatory  on  all  the  faithful,  and 
•annot  be  dispensed  with,  except  where  the  feebleness  of  age 

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DrTY   OP   THB    CHRISTIAN 


or  other  infirmities,  or  hard  and  fatiguing  labour  renders  ft 
impracticable ;  any  one  to  wiiom  any  of  these  excpptions 
applies  ought  to  inform  their  priest  for  it  is  a  great  sin  not 
to  observe  the  fasts  prescribed  by  the  Chu?ch  when  there 
is  no  legitimate  cause  for  dispensation ;  to  violato  theni 
without  necessity  is  to  sin  against  God  himself,  who  com- 
mands us  to  obey  the  Church.  We  nevertheless  see  a  great 
number  of  Christians  who,  without  any  reason,  violate  the 
law  of  fasting ;  but  the  law  is  none  the  leas  binding,  and 
the  multitude  of  prevaricators  can  neither  weaken  nor  de- 
stroy it. 

Although  none  are  strictly  bound  to  fast  until  they  have 
attained  the  age  of  twenty-one,  yet  young  people  are  not 
the  less  bound  to  practise  mortification  in  proportion  to 
theii-  strength,  by  retrenching  something  of  their  ordinary 
meals,  and  denying  themselves  certain  trifling  gratifications, 
the  privation  of  which  cannot  injure  their  health.  The  same 
applies  to  all  those  whose  infirmities  or  other  reasons  ex- 
empt them  from  the  rigour  of  the  fast.  If  they  cannot  ac- 
complish the  penance  of  the  fast  in  its  full  extent,  they  ought 
to  do  it  in  part,  uniting  in  mind  and  heart  with  the  Penance 
of  the  whole  Church,  and  making  up  in  other  good  works  for 
that  which  they  are  not  able  to  do. 

Example. — A  certain  bad  Christian,  who  was  very  guilty 
before  God,  chanced  to  read  a  book  entitled  the  History  of 
Fasting.  He  was  struck  by  the  rigour  with  which  the  fasts 
were  observed  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Church.  He  said  to 
himself:  "  And  I  call  myself  a  Christian,  although  I  have 
never  fasted ;  if  I  had  lived  in  those  times  when  the  peni- 
tential canons  were  followed  to  the  very  letter,  how  many 
years  of  strict  fasting  would  have  been  imposed  upon  me  for 
many  of  the  iniquities  of  which  I  am  guilty!  The  primitive 
Christians  took  no  collation  on  fast  days ;  they  all  abstain- 
ed from  wine,  and  many  there  were  who  used  only  bread 
and  water,  nor  did  they  take  that  one  meal  till  the  evening 
was  come."  What  he  read  made  a  lasting  impression  on 
his  mind,  and  gave  rise  to  serious  reflection,  until  at  length 
God  touched  his  heart.  Penetrated  with  a  lively  sorrow  for 
his  sins,  he  resolved  to  do  Penance,  and  with  that  intention 


TOWARDS    GOD.  199 

he  entered  one  of  those  monasteries  whorein  a  rigorous 
gilence  is  maintained,  and  where  they  fast  continually,  sleep- 
ing only  on  a  hard  couch,  and  interrupting  their  short  repoae 
to  ring  the  praises  of  God  during  the  night         Lasaubsb 


ARTICLE   VI. 

OP  THE   SIXTH   COMMANDMENT. 

Fridays  and  Saturdays ^sh  thou  shaU  not  ecu.* 

By  this  last  Commandment  the  Church  forbids  the  use  of 
meat  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  in  order  to  weaken  the  pas- 
sions by  mortifying  the  body ;  also  to  make  us  expiate  our 
sins,  and  to  keep  alive  in  us  the  spirit  of  Penance,  so  strong- 
ly recommended  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  which  may  indeed  be 
considered  as  the  abridgment  of  his  divine  morality.  We 
are  sinners  and  therefore  obliged  to  do  Penance ;  we  are 
sick  and  should  consequently,  labour  to  effect  our  cure ;  we 
all  have  sins  to  expiate  and  it  is  by  Penance  that  they  are 
to  be  wiped  away,  and  the  divine  justice  satisfied ;  we  each 
have  passions  to  subdue,  and  that  can  only  be  done  by  re- 
trenching all  that  tends  to  flatter  them.  The  Church  know- 
ing our  need  of  this  remedy,  and  how  unwilling  we  are  to 
make  use  of  it,  comes  herself  to  assist  our  weakness,  and 
makes  it  an  express  Commandment,  so  as  to  induce  us  to 
submit  the  more  readily.  But,  besides  this  general  view,  the 
Church,  in  imposing  on  us  the  law  of  abstinence,  has  other 
particular  reasons  which  we  ought  to  know :  Friday  she  has 
always  held  as  a  day  of  penance  and  of  mortification,  since 
it  was  on  that  day  that  Christ  died  for  our  redemption,  and 
it  is  just  that  we  shc:i!d  take  part  in  his  sufferings,  if  we 
would  have  a  share  in  the  grace  of  Redemption.  Hence  it 
is  that  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  Friday  was  always  a 
fast  day.  The  faithful  also  fasted  on  Saturday  in  honour  of 
the  burial  of  Our  Lord,  and  to  prepare  for  the  sanctificatiou 
of  the  Sabbath.  In  the  lapse  of  time  the  fast  of  these  days 
has  been  reduced  to  simple  abstinence,  that  is  to  say  ab- 
staining from  the  use  of  meat,  and  the  Church  makes  it  a 
law  to  which  all  are  bound  to  submit.  Even  children  are 
uot  exempt  from  this  law,  when  once  they  are  able  to  ob^ 

*By  (iispensatiun,  the  use  of  meat  tjt  now  permitted  in  these  countries* 
3n  Saturdav 


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rl  t*^vl^•4'''*■^'■* 


106  DUTY   OF  THE    OHBHTIAR 

cerve  it  It  is  only  the  real  inability  to  obey  the  precept 
Chat  can  dispense  with  it  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  this  veiy 
inability  must  be  made  known  to  the  Church  m  the  person 
of  a  priest,  to  the  end  that  he  may  relax  the  obligation  m 
the  name  of  the  Church. 

Let  none  then  be  deceived  by  the  false  reasoning  of  the 
ttnpious  who  making  a  wrong  application  of  the  words  of 
the  Sacred  Scripture,  tell  us  that  it  is  not  meat  which  de- 
files the  soul.  Doubtless  it  is  not  the  distinction  of  meats 
which  can  in  itself  honour  God ;  but  it  is  not  a  matter  of 
indifference  in  the  s'ght  of  God  to  obey  or  disobey  the  au 
thority  established  by  Himself;  neither  is  it  indifferent  to 
him  whether  we  preserve  or  extinguish  wichin  us  the  spirit 
of  Penance  which  he  has  so  strongly  recommended  to  us. 
Let  us  not  imitate  those  who  without  any  reason,  and  on  tlie 
very  slightest  pretext,  permit  themselves  the  use  of  meat  on 
days  when  it  is  prohibited ;  the  more  prevalent  the  disorder 
is,  the  more  need  there  is  to  bewail  it,  and  to  beware  of  be* 
ing  carried  away  by  the  torrent  of  example.  It  is  a  sensible 
proof  of  weakness  of  faith  and  indifference  for  salvation  in 
a  multitude  of  Christians. 

Examples. — In  one  of  the  larger  cities  ot  France,  a  child 
whose  parents  were  wholly  destitute  of  piety,  was  prepa> 
ring  to  approach  for  the  first  time  to  the  holy  Table.  It  was 
tiie  unhappy  practice  in  that  house  to  eat  meat  every  day 
without  distinction.  The  child  in  his  confession  accused 
himself  of  that  fault,  and  his  director  gave  him  certain  rules 
on  that  subject  which  he  was  to  observe  for  the  future.  Tlw 
child  promised  to  put  them  in  practice,  and  the  opportunity 
speedily  presented  itself.  On  the  following  Friday,  meal 
was  put,  as  usual,  on  the  table,  and  he  was  offered  some; 
he  modestly  refused  to  eat  it,  and  when  asked  by  his  fathei 
why  he  did  so,  he  mentioned  the  prohibition  of  the  Church, 
and  would  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  eat  any  thing  better  than 
a  piece  of  dry  bread.  But  the  impious  father  irritated  by 
his  son's  refusal,  brutally  condemned  him  to  confine  himseL 
till  next  day  to  a  room  which  he  pointed  out,  and  would  not 
even  give  him  the  morsel  of  bread  on  which  he  would  have 
(fiaed.    The  boy  instantly  obeyed,  and  without  a  word  Oi 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


197 


$fTr  Int^  nor*  the  slightest  appearance  of  ill-humour. 
Nev  ^heless  the  mother,  although  just  as  irreligious  as  her 
husband,  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  brought  him  se- 
cretly something  to  eat,  at  the  same  time  reproaching  him 
for  disobeying  his  father  and  her.  What  was  her  surprise 
when  the  dear  child  calmly  replied!  "If  papa  had  com- 
manded me  to  do  any  thing  that  I  could  do,  I  should  at  once 
have  obeyed  him,  and  it  is  not  through  obstinacy  that  I  re- 
fuse to  do  what  he  would  have  me.  He  has  ordered  me  to 
stay  hero  till  to-morrow  without  eating  any  thing,  and  in  that 
I  can  obey  him  without  going  against  my  conscience,  so  I 
hope  you  will  not  be  angry  if  I  do  not  accept  what  you  are 
BO  kind  as  to  bring  me ! "  The  mother,  amazed  to  hear  him 
express  sentiments  so  pious  and  in  terms  so  respectful,  hasti 
ly  withdrew  to  conceal  the  tears  which  she  could  no  longer 
suppress,  and  then  she  went  to  relate  to  her  husband  the 
ansv/er  which  the  child  had  given  her.  The  father  was 
equally  struck  with  admiration,  and  mingled  his  tears  with 
those  of  his  wife,  both  agreeing  that  their  son  was  more 
reasonable  and  more  virtuous  than  themselves.  The  father 
went  immediately  to  embrace  his  son,  and  took  blame  to  him- 
self for  his  injustice,  asking  him  at  the  same  time  who  had 
given  him  such  prudent  advice.  Learning  that  it  was  his 
confessor,  he  hastened  to  thank  the  priest  for  the  care  he 
had  taken  of  his  son,  entreated  him  to  hear  his  confession, 
and  was  converted  together  with  his  wife.  Happy  child ! 
who  was  nmde  the  means  of  opening  the  eyes  of  his  parents 
and  leading  them  back  from  the  way  of  sin  and  error ! 

Marguet.    Essay  on  the  Lxws  of  Jlbstinence. 

''At  the  beginning  of  last  Lent,''  sair'^  a  pious  ecclesiastic, 
"  a  woman  came  all  in  tears  to  ask  to  speak  with  me.  She 
was  ushernd  in ;  and  at  first  remained  perfectly  silent.  I 
invited  her  to  sit  down,  but  she  seemed  not  to  hear  me,  I  re- 
peated the  invitation,  and  she  answered  only  by  her  tears. 
What  is  the  matter  with  you?  said  I,  or  is  there  any 
one  sick  at  your  house  ? ''  She  hesitated ;  but  at  length  she 
said,  her  voice  choked  with  sobs :  "  Sir,  you  have  amongst 

your  penitents,  a  young  girl  named  Adele  N ;  she  is 

iQy  daughter — unhappy  that  I  am!  for  the  last -six  or  seven 


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198 


DUTY    OF  THE    CHRISTIAN 


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months  her  father  and  I  have  been  killing  hei  by  inches — ** 
here  she  Htopped,  unable  to  say  another  word.  She  sat  do^Ti, 
apparently  overcome  by  sorrow  and  remorse.  Having  re- 
covered herself  a  liitle,  she  thus  resumed !  "  During  the  time 
I  have  mentioned,  there  has  not  been  one  Friday  or  Satur- 
day  that  we  did  not  leave  the  poor  girl  covered  with  bruises, 
because  she  would  not  eat  meat  on  those  days.  Her  father 
has  often  even  tied  her  to  the  foot  of  the  bed,  and  gave  her 
work  to  do,  leaving  beside  her  for  food  nothing  but  bread 
and  meat ;  this  he  had  done  this  very  morning,  and  then  we 
both  quitted  the  house.  Chancing  to  go  in  again,  I  found 
her  sad  and  dejected,  and  began  to  feel  some  little  pity  for 
her.  I  know  not  wh^t  I  said  to  her,  but  she  told  me  she  was 
sick  and  in  pain,  and  falling  on  her  knees  she  said  to  me ! 
"  I  know  I  must  obey  God  rather  than  men,  so  that  I  can 
never  bring  myself  to  do  what  you  require  of  me ;  neverthe- 
less I  am  afraid  of  doing  wrong  by  resisting  your  will  so 
long.  My  dear  mother,  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  I  can 
promise  you  nothing,  nor  do  nothing  more  than  to  beg  of 
God  that  he  may  make  you  understand  the  sin  you  commit 
in  eating  meat  on  days  when  it  is  prohibited,  and  that  yoa 
may  obtain  the  grace  to  do  Penance  for  it.  Pray  go  to  con- 
fession, my  dear  mother,  and  you  shall  see — "  She  was  going 
on,  but  I  threw  my  arms  around  her  neck,  and  pressing  her 
in  my  arms,  promised  to  follow  her  advice.  I  come  then  to 
ask  at  what  hour  I  will  find  you  in  the  church.  My  child 
is  still  bound,  for  when  I  would  have  unloosed  her,  she  told 
me  it  was  for  her  father  who  had  tied  her  there  to  set  her 
free  when  he  pleased." 

Such  was  the  account  given  by  the  mother.  I  admired 
the  fortitude  of  the  girl,  and  regarded  her  parent's  conversion 
as  the  reward  which  God  had  granted  to  her  heroic  perse- 
verance. I  afterwards  learned  that  a  scene  nearly  similar 
took  place  in  their  dwelling  when  the  father  returned  in  the 
evening.  He  also  came  to  confession,  following  the  oxam- 
pie  of  his  wife.  A  short  time  after,  I  inquired  of  their 
daughter  why  she  had  never  spoken  to  me  of  the  bad  treat- 
ment she  had  been  receiving.  Her  answer  was  that  she 
would  not  say  any  thing  bad  of  her  parents,  which  reply  in- 
oreased  my  admiration  still  farther,  and  I  plainly  recognized 


&:^-''>i';n^ 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


100 


the  working  of  divine  grace  in  that  innocent  and  faithful 
soul.  Exp^anatiimof  the  Cut^ihUm  of  Dijon, 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


OP   SIN. 


Sin,  which  means  a  disobedience  to  the  Law  of  God,  fa 
of  all  evils  the  greatest,  since  it  offends  God  who  is  supreme- 
ly good.  It  is,  moreover,  a  monstrous  ingratitude,  for  by  it 
we  offend  a  God  who  has  created  us,  and  who  still  pre 
serves  us  and  loads  us  with  blessings  from  day  to  day. 
The  sinner  is  like  unto  a  beloved  child  who  outrages  a  good 
father :  what  a  heinous  crime !  That  we  may  better  under- 
stand the  enormity  of  sin,  let  us  consider  what  it  has  cost 
Jesus  Christ  to  expiate  it,  and  that  thought  alone  is  sufficient 
to  make  us  regard  it  with  horror.  Let  us  also  behold  the 
terrible  chastisement  with  which  God  punishes  sin ;  all  the 
miseries  spread  over  the  earth,  all  the  trials  of  life,  sickness, 
and  death,  are  the  fatal  effects  uf  one  single  sin,  committed 
by  our  first  parents. 

Sin  is  of  two  sorts.  Original  and  Actual.  Original  sin  is 
that  wherein  we  are  born.  All  mankind,  excepting  only  the 
BMssed  Virgin,  have  been  stained  with  this  sin.  Actual  sin 
b  that  which  we  wilfully  commit,  after  having  attained  the 
use  of  reason.  Actual  sin  is  committed  in  four  different 
ways:  by  thought,  word,  deed,  and  omission.  The  Law 
of  God  forbids  not  only  the  evil  action,  but  even  the  thought 
or  desire  of  doing  it ;  it  not  only  restrains  the  hand  and  the 
tongue,  but  also  regulates  the  mind  and  heart;  it  is  in  the 
heart  that  disobedience  begins :  the  heart  is  the  source  of  sin, 
of  which  words  and  deeds  are  but  the  exterior  effects. 

Actual  sin  is  of  two  sorts,  mortal  and  venial.  A  sin  is 
mortal  when  the  matter  is  considerable,  and  when  it  is  con>- 
mitted  with  free  consent  Venial  sin  is  that  of  smaller 
moment,  or  not  committed  deliberately  if  the  matter  be  of 
greater  importance. 

Mortal  sin  is  the  greatest  of  all  evils,  for  it  deprives  us  of 
ianctifying  grace,  and  of  all  claim  to  the  celestial  inherit 


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DUTT   OF   THE    CHRISTIAX 


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•   '     ''■;>*.    ■    -  . 
«  ■■■•,»■ '7.*.. .X      -t 


ance ;  it  gives  death  to  the  soul  by  separating  it  from  God, 
who  is  its  life,  as  the  soul  is  the  life  of  the  body,  and  it 
renders  us  worthy  of  eternal  damnation.  When  one  has 
the  misfortune  to  commit  a  mortal  sin  he  becomes  the  slave 
of  the  devil,  the  enemy  of  God,  the  object  of  his  hatred 
and  of  his  everlasting  vengeance.  Can  there  be  any  evil 
tike  unto  that  ?  What  horror  should  we  not  have  of  sin, 
And  with  what  care  should  we  not  avoid  it  ?  No,  there  is 
nothing  that  we  should  not  be  disposed  to  suffer  rather  than 
commit  a  single  mortal  sin.  We  should  fly  sin  as  we  would 
a  serpent  Suppose  we  were  to  meet  a  serpent,  and  bad 
reason  to  expect  being  devoured  by  him,  with  what  haste 
we  would  get  out  of  his  way? — In  our  terror  we  would 
hurry  away  as  fast  as  our  limbs  could  carry  us,  fearing  at 
every  step  lest  he  might  overtake  us  ?  Well !  shall  we  do 
less  to  save  our  soul  than  we  would  for  the  preservation  of 
the  body  ?  If  unfortunately  one  had  committed  a  mortal 
sin,  it  would  be  necessary  to  repent  immediately,  and  fre* 
quently  to  pronounce,  with  one's  whole  heart,  acta  of  con* 
trition  and  of  Love  of  God,  and  to  prepare  for  confessing 
as  soon  as  possible.  We  should  also  take  care  to  avoid 
venial  sins,  that  is  to  say,  those  which  do  not  deprive  the 
soul  of  the  grace  that  sanctifies,  but  tvhich  weaken  and  en* 
feeble  it;  which  do  not  render  us  worthy  of  eternal  peF- 
dition,  yet  subject  us  to  temporary  punishment  Even  the 
smallest  sin  is  a  great  evil,  because  it  offends  God.  Mor&> 
over,  venial  sin  when  neglected,  exposes  to  mortal  sin. — 
"He  who  despiseth  smaller  faults"  says  the  Holy  Spirit, 
•*  shall  fall  by  degrees  into  greater,  and  in  the  end  will  be 
eternally  lost"  Let  us  then  never  commit  any  sin  deliber^ 
ately  or  with  consent ;  but  rather  let  us  avoid,  according  to 
the  precept  of  the  Apostle,  even  the  appearance  of  evil. 


Example. — Wise  answers  made  by  persons  whom  othert 
tcotUd  induce  to  sin.  "By  sinning,  I  shall  disobey  God, 
and  obey  the  devil.  What  injustice !  what  ingratitude,  and 
what  madness ! " — "  How  could  I  commit  so  great  a  crime, 
and  sin  against  my  God  ? "  [Joseph  to  the  mfe  of  Potiphar.) 
— "  It  is  better  for  me  to  die  than  to  sin  in  the  presence  of 
the  Lord"  (Susannah.) — "  We  ought  to  obey  the  Law  of 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


201 


God  rather  than  the  king."  (Maccabees.) — "  In  proposing  to 
me  to  offend  God.  and  to  ruin  my  soul  by  sin,  what  will  you 
give  nie  if  I  revolt  against  Him,  and  lose  my  own  soul  ?  *" 
— "  I  have  in  God  a  master  so  great,  so  good,  so  liberal, 
who  has  been  ever  bountiful  to  me,  and  from  whom  I  ex< 
pect  eternal  life,  glory,  and  happiness ;  and  yet  you  would 
have  me  disobey — offend — abandon,  and  insult  him — you 
would  have  me  declare  myself  his  enemy,  and  run  the  risk 
'of  incurring  his  anger,  his  wrath,  his  vengeance  ! " — "  Be- 
fore you  commit  sin,  seek  a  place  where  God  is  not  present, 
— where  he  sees  you  not,  and  where  he  is  not  able  to  deprive 
you  instantly  of  life  and  cast  you  into  hell." — "  Away — 
begone  !  I  shall  not  be  the  fool  to  poison  my  soul  by  enjoy- 
ing for  a  few  brief  moments,  the  deceitful  sweetness  of  a 
draught  which  would  very  soon  cause  me  grievous  suffering, 
and  which  would  render  me  deserving  of  eternal  death, — 
nay,  inevitably  bring  it  upon  me,  if  I  did  not  wipe  away 
the  foul  stain  by  penitential  tears ! "  Labaussk. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


OF   THE    CAPITAL    SINS. 


All  the  sins  that  man  is  wont  to  commit  are  usually  re- 
duced to  seven  principal  sins,  which  are  called  capital  because 
they  are  as  the  source  and  origin  of  all  the  others.  The 
capital  sins  are  pride,  covetousness  or  avarice,  lust,  gluttony, 
Qivy,  anger,  and  sloth. 

Example. — A  certain  young  man,  going  through  a  forest, 
was  attacked  by  a  frightful  monster,  having  the  body  of  a 
lion,  surmounted  by  seven  heads  like  that  of  a  serpent 
The  beast,  darting  forth  from  his  den,  came  right  upon  him 
with  flaming  eyes,  rearing  up  his  seven  heads,  and  protru- 
ding his  seven  tongues,  while  he  filled  the  air  with  his  hor- 
rible roaring.  The  young  man,  being  strong  and  coura- 
geous, was  not  dismayed  but  boldly  stood  his  ground.  He 
had  no  other  arms  than  an  axe  which  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  country,  hung  susp*  >ded  from  his  girdle ;  laying 


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202 


DTTTr    OP   THE    CHRISTIAW 


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hoM  of  his  weapon,  at  the  very  first  blow  he  cut  off  fom 
of  the  beast's  heads,  and  with  a  second  stroke,  two  more. 
Exhausted  hy  his  wounds  the  dragon  lay  some  time  extend- 
ed on  the  ground,  and  our  traveller,  believing  him  dead,  pul 
up  his  axe,  and  resumed  his  journey,  thinking  it  quite  un- 
necessary to  cut  off  the  seventh  head.  Scarcely  had  he 
gone  a  few  paces  when  the  monster,  recovering  himself, 
arose,  and  again  sprang  towards  him  with  the  greatest  fury, 
sdzed  him  in  his  ravenous  jaws,  and  carried  him  off  to  his 
den,  where  he  devoured  him. 

Behold  the  explanation  of  this  parable:  1st.,  this  dragon 
represents  the  seven  capital  sins,  which  must  be  courageously 
resisted  with  the  arms  of  Faith ;  2nd.,  it  is  not  enough  to 
cut  off  six  of  the  heads  of  this  monster,  for  if  you  leave 
him  even  one  you  are  lost.  Of  what  avail  is  it  that  you  are 
free  from  certain  passions  if  even  one  be  allowed  to  govern 
you  ?  Most  commonly  it  is  one  particular  vice  which 
destroys  the  soul.  Examine  whether,  in  your  combats  with 
the  infernal  lion,  you  have  not  left  him  one,  wherewith  to 
devour  you ;  or  whether  in  correcting  your  passions,  you 
do  not  spare  one  darling  propensity  which  may  be  quite 
enough  to  ensure  your  eternal  perdition  :  your  victory  goes 
for  nought,  if  it  be  not  complete.  3rd.  We  must  persevere 
even  till  the  end,  and  struggle  on  till  death ;  never  wearying 
in  the  combat,  nor  seeking  rest,  until  we  have  defeated  all 
our  enemies ;  otherwise  they  will  lay  hold  of  us  when  we 
^east  expect  it,  and  draw  us  with  them  into  the  abyss  of  hell. 

Father  E.  Giraudeau. 


ARTICLE    I 


OF    PRIDE. 


PKTr5i3  is  an  inordinate  love  and  esteem  of  one's  self, 
.ausing  us  to  prefer  ourselves  before  all  others,  and  to  refer 
ill  to  ourselves  and  nothing  to  God  !  pride  is  offensive  to 
•jrod  because  by  it  we  glorify  ourselves  for  his  gifts,  instead 
Df  referring  all  the  honour  to  him:  thence  proceeds  vanity 
and  the  overweening  desire  of  praise  and  esteem.  The 
proud  man  must  be  admired  and  applauded  for  all  that  he 


'.i*i 


TOWARDS    GCD. 


209 


does ;  when  he  has  received  the  approbation  of  men  he  is 
perfectly  satisfied,  and  seeks  after  flattery  with  the  utmost 
avidity.  He  carefully  conceals  the  fauUs  which  he  has, 
and  affects  virtues  which  he  really  has  not  his  whole  object 
jg  to  draw  upon  him  the  attention  of  others,  and  to  mr.ke 
the  world  believe  him  better  than  he  is;  thence  comes  the 
contempt  of  his  neighbour.  The  exalted  opinion  which  he 
entertains  of  himself  causes  him  to  look  down  on  others; 
considering  himself  far  above  them,  he  demeans  himself 
proudly  and  arrogantly ;  he  speaks  to  them  haughtily,  and 
with  a  disdainful  air ;  thence  comes  disobedience.  The 
proud  man  will  not  submit  to  the  orders  of  his  superiors, 
and  spurns  their  advice ;  all  authority  is  displeasing  to  him, 
for  he  fancies  that  he  was  not  made  to  obey :  hence  comes, 
in  fine,  that  forgetfulness  of  his  true  interest.  He  totally 
neglects  the  affair  of  his  salvation,  his  whole  care  being  to 
ornament  his  body  with  the  trappings  of  fashion,  and  to 
walk  thus  an  "  idol  of  flesh  "  through  the  gay  circles  of  the 
world,  drawing  around  him  a  crowd  of  adorers ;  decency, 
and  decorum  are  often  sacrificed  if  fashion  require  it,  even 
although  the  effect  may  be  truly  ridiculous.  How  detest- 
able is  this  vice !  and  how  carefully  should  we  avoid  it ! — 
Let  us  remember  that  pride  is  odious  both  to  God  and  man, 
and  that  God  is  pleased  to  confound  the  proud,  but  gives 
his  grace  to  the  hnmble. 

Christian  humility  is  the  virtue  opposed  to  pride,  and  is, 
in  fact,  the  foundation  of  all  virtues ;  the  humble  are  aware 
of  the  depth  of  misery  that  is  in  us — they  despise  them- 
(selves,  and  are  content  to  be  despised  by  others.  In  effect, 
if  we  consider  what  we  really  are,  what  cause  shall  we 'not 
find  for  humbling  ourselves ! — Not  to  speak  of  the  infirmities 
of  the  body, — of  that  body  M'hich  came  forth  from  the  dust, 
and  must  return  to  whence  it  came, — let  us  reflect  on  the 
state  of  our  soul,  and  what  shall  we  see? — Ignorance  in 
ihe  mind,  corruption  in  the  heart — what  a  propensity  for 
evil,  and  what  inconstancy  for  good ! — We  have  in  ourselves 
nought  but  nothingness  and  sin ;  if  we  have  any  thing  in 
us  good  or  estimable  we  have  it  from  Gcd :  the  advantages 
of  mind  and  body,  the  gifts  of  nature  and  of  grace,  all 
«ome  from  God.     One  who  is  penetrated  with  this  conviC' 


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'        i'i-     '  'Vc" 


904 


DUTY  OF  THE  cnRIITIAN 


Hon  is  far  removed  from  pride, — from  seeking  for  praise,  oi 
hunting  after  vain  honours ;  if  he  finds  himself  iti  possessioo 
of  any  good  qualities,  he  refers  to  God  all  the  glory  and 
merit ;  but  his  faults  ho  regards  with  the  greatest  attention, 
and  humbles  himself  for  them  before  God.  Happy  are 
they  who  are  humble  of  heart,  because  they  shall  be  loaded 
with  the  blessings  of  the  Lord — and  woe  to  the  arrogant 
and  presumptous  for  them  shall  the  Lord  cover  with  con* 
fiision. 

Example. — A  certain  nobleman,  priding  himself  on  a 
name  which  he  dishonoured  by  his  vices,  would  fain  humblt 
a  man,  who  though  of  low  birth,  was  endowed  with  singu* 
lar  merit,  and  he  reproached  him  with  having  no  ancestors 
of  whom  he  could  boast  The  other,  far  from  being  irritated, 
replied  with  a  smile  :  "  If  my  origin  disgraces  me,  you  dis- 
grace yours '  " — Let  us  then  leani  to  respect  virtue  where. 
ever  it  is  to  be  found,  nor  ever  forget  that  true  merit  dependi 
on  onr  workci  and  not  on  our  employments,  or  our  dignity. 


ARTICLE   II. 


ON    COVETOrSNESS. 


CovETOUSNEss  or  avarice  is  an  inordinate  attachment  to 
Che  things  of  the  earth.  It  is  not  a  sin  to  have  riches,  but 
it  is  a  sin  to  fix  our  hearts  upon  them,  to  seek  them  with 
too  much  eagerness,  to  place  our  happiness  in  possessing 
them,  and  to  us9  unjust  means  of  obtaining  them.  Avarice 
produces  forgetfulnoss  of  God,  by  inducing  man  to  make 
his  treasures  the  object  of  his  worship,  hence  it  is  that  St 
Paul  sets  down  this  sin  as  a  species  of  idolatry.  Men  have 
only  indifference  for  their  salvation  when  their  whole  thoughts 
are  given  to  the  amassing  of  wealth;  they  are  but  little 
affected  with  the  desire  or  the  hope  of  eternal  goods,  while 
BO  much  taken  up  with  the  care  of  acquiring  those  which 
are  but  temporal,  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  he  who  is  in* 
fected  with  the  passion  of  becoming  rich,  can  no  longer  be 
•onsidered  a  Christian.  Avarice  begets  harshness  towards 
Ihe  poor.     He  who  is  attached  to  his  riches  is  insensible  to 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


200 


the  misery  of  others,  and  knowH  no  sentiment  of  compns* 
gion.  Worse  still,  he  forgets  himself;  he  becomes  regard- 
less of  his  own  wants,  prefers  his  money  to  his  health,  nay, 
even  to  his  life,  and  denies  himself  the  commonest  neces- 
gaiies  for  fear  of  diminishing  his  treasure ;  he  heaps  up  riches 
without  making  use  of  them,  he  is  poor  with  all  his  wealth, 
an'l  wants  in  the  midst  of  plenty.  What  madness  is  his ! — 
Finally,  this  vice  gives  rise  to  duplicity,  for  the  miser,  in 
order  to  acquire  the  goods  of  another  on  which  he  has 
set  his  eye,  has  resort  to  stratagem,  fraud,  and  injustice. 
"  iNone  is  so  unjust "  says  the  Holy  Ghost  ik  the  sacred 
scriptures  "  as  he  who  loveth  money !  such  a  man  would 
sell  his  own  soul."  He  who  is  governed  by  this  passion 
knows  neither  good  faith,  nor  honour,  nor  conscience ;  he 
becomes  unjust,  fradulent,  and  violent ;  all  means,  even  the 
most  criminal,  are  employed,  in  order  to  increase  the  trea- 
sure on  which  his  heart  ia  fixed  ;  iiiid  tlio  worst  of  all  is  that 
this  passion  g-vows  stronger  with  age.  Advancing  years, 
and  reflection  reduce  and  weaken  other  passions,  but  avarice 
seems  to  revive  and  to  acquire  new  strength  as  age  ap- 
proaches. The  farther  the  miser  advances  towards  that 
fatal  moment  when  all  must  be  abandoned,  the  more  ten- 
aciously does  his  heart  cling  to  his  wretched  hoards ;  the 
nearer  he  sees  death  approaching,  the  more  closely  does  he 
clutch  his  gold,  and  look  upon  ft  as  a  necessary  precaution 
for  a  chimerical  futurity.  "  Fool ! "  says  Our  Lord  in  the 
Gospel,  "  This  night  thy  soul  shall  be  demanded  of  thee, — 
for  whom  shall  these  riches  be  that  thou  hast  heaped  to- 
gether ? "  He  shall  leave  his  wealth  to  others,  and  himself 
shall  retain  but  a  worn  winding-sheet,  a  coffin,  and  a  grave. 
Beware,  then,  of  a  passion  so  unreasonable  and  so  dan- 
gerous. "  Instructed  in  the  school  of  Christ,  let  us  not  seek 
to  amass  treasures  on  the  earth,  where  the  worm  and  the  rust 
do  consume,  and  where  robbers  can  break  in  and  steal ;  but 
labour  to  store  up  treasures  in  heaven,  where  the  worm 
eateth  not,  nor  the  rust  doth  consume,  nor  robbers  take 
away."  Let  us  endeavour  to  acquire  the  virtue  opposed  to 
avarice,  which  virtue  is  a  christian  detachment  from  th« 
things  of  this  world,  whether  we  be  in  poverty  or  in  afflu- 
ence.    If  we  are  poor,  let  us  not  envy  those  who  are  rich, 


.•>/•'•  :  •■■■V  . 


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s',1  ■■  ■■,'.'^..' ■•'  ■ 


liMf^" 


200  DUTY    OP   THE    CIIRIBTIAlf 

nor  desire  to  poBsesB  what  belongs  not  to  us ;  these  fragile 
and  perishable  things,  so  far  from  satiating  our  desirr  \\\y 
serve  to  excite  them  still  more.  The  iust  man  is  lKi;>{)ier 
with  the  little  he  possesRos  than  are  the  wicked  with  nil 
their  treasures.  "  Fear  nothing,"  s.  id  Tobias  to  his  8on, 
*  it  is  true  that  we  are  poor,  but  we  sliall  be  rich  indeed  if 
we  fear  God,  shun  evil,  and  do  good."  If  we  have  where> 
with  to  support  us  and  keep  us 'decently  clothed,  we  should 
be  content.  Hjence,  let  those  who  have  wealth  remem))or 
that  they  can  take  nothing  with  them  to  the  other  world ,  1»  t 
them  pour  them  out  upon  the  poor,  so  as  to  realize,  •  ">!■ 
meaus,  a  treasure  for  themselves  which  shall  nov  vx  poi lab. 

Example. — There  is  on  record  the  f'ory  .>'*  a  miser,  fur- 
nishing a  very  singular  fact,  together  witu  a  most  traijicai 
end.  This  man,  being  possessed  by  the  demon  i)f  avarice 
thought  of  nothing  but  how  he'wps  to  accumulate  treasure, 
and  add  heap  to  heap.  Fearful  lest  any  one  should  deprive 
him  of  his  treasures,  he  hollowed  out  in  the  floor  of  his 
cellar  a  subterraneous  place,  having  an  iron  door  so  con- 
trived that  it  was  imperceptible  to  any  one  not  acquainted 
with  the  secret.  No  sooner  did  he  receive  any  considerable 
sum  than  he  went  to  hide  it  there,  and  his  delight  was  to 
sit  gazing  at  his  leisure  on  his  gold  and  silver,  which  were 
to  him  as  gods.  One  da^  when  he  had  gone  to  deposit 
some  money  in  this  gloomy  vault,  he  forgot  to  take  the  key 
from  the  outside,  and  closing  the  door  upon  himself,  he  com- 
menced  reckoning  his  hoarded  treasures.  When  he  had 
amused  himself  thus  for  some  time,  he  would  have  retired, 
but  the  door  could  not  be  opened  inside  without  the  key, 
so  that  he  found  himself  unable  to  get  away,  and  his  situ- 
ation may  easily  be  imagined.  There  is  reason  to  believe 
that  he  cried  out  and  kno.u^d  .>!*  long  as  he  was  aMe,  but 
how  coulu'  any  one  hear  h'.u  p.'."*  ho  wo  .  ever  think  of 
looking  for  him  in  such  a  ^ ).. 'o^ 

Meanwhile  his  family,  seeing  that  he  did  not  return,  be- 
came seriously  alarmed.  They  sought  all  around,  and 
caused  inquiries  to  be  every  where  made,  but  all  in  vain: 
they  at  first  thought  that  he  might  have  be«n  drowned,  or 
pro'oably  murdered :  in  a  word  that  he  had  lost  his  life  by 


iff-|';i: 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


2on 


lome  fatal  acciHent.  Suddenly  a  locksmith  in  the  place, 
hearing  the  event  mtwh  talked  of,  began  to  remember  that 
the  miser  had  onoe  cauacti  him  to  make  secretly  an  iron 
door  with  a  spring  lork,  and  hat  he  might  unfortunately 
liHve  closed  ii  'nself  in  diroiigh  mistake.  He  i  ide  known 
his  apprehensions,  and  led  the  waj  to  the  spot  wh'^re  ho  had 
placed  the  iron  door — some  persons  uterod,  and  i  w  great 
was  their  astonishment,  frigh^  and  horror  when  t.  'y  dis* 
covered  the  putrifying  body  ol  he  wre  ched  miser ! — It  was 
easy  to  see  how  the  catastropl  had  come  upon  him,  so 
they  searched  the  place  and  founi  immense  treasures  heaped 
up  together, — treasures  indeed  of  wrath  and  of  maiedict    n. 

Beaudrani),  Edi/y  ng  JVdrrative^ 


'^ 


•>'■■' 


•I 


•'^■^■^  ..- 


ARTICLE  III 


J-    •• 


^   .. 


3r  so  Con- 


or  LUXURY    OR   LUST. 

Luxury  is  a  criminal  affection  for  plerxsures  opposed  to 
Christian  chastity.  Nothing  is  more  uegm  'iing  to  man  than 
this  shameful  vice ;  nothing  more  o|5posed  t '  the  sanctity  of 
our  vocation,  so  that  Christians  ought  not  ven  to  know  it 
In  order  to  set  this  vice  in  all  its  real  horro  .  we  have  only 
to  consider  its  unhappy  effects.  It  begets  a  aatred  of  God, 
an  aversion  for  the  duties  of  religion,  hardnt  ^^s  of  heart,  in 
fine  the  ruin  of  society :  for  they  who  yield  ':hem8elves  up 
to  its  excess  are  speedily  carried  to  the  gravt.  He  who  is 
addicted  to  this  vice  cannot  be  ignorant  that  God  looks  up- 
on it  with  horror;  hence  he  sees  in  him  onlv  the  severe 
avenger  of  these  shameful  excesses,  and  he  conceives  in  his 
heart  a  feeling  of  hatred  towards  him  who  is  one  day.  to  be 
his  judge  and  to  punish  him  with  rigor.  The  exercises  of 
religion  are  totally  incompatible  with  this  vice  when  onc^  ii 
obtains  the  mastery.  Prayer  is  found  tiresome,  and  is 
neglected  ;  the  word  of  God  condemns,  and  it  is  no  longer 
listened  to ;  in  order  to  approach  the  Sacraments  vice  must 
be  renounced,  so  they  too  are  abandoned.  By  thus  stifling 
'iie  voice  of  conscience,  the  sinner  falls  into  a  lethargy,  that 
ii  to  say,  a  state  of  insensibility  in  which  nothing  any  mor« 
affects  him  :  he  becomes  blind  to  his  duties,  to  his  reputatioi^ 


>^  "• 


'^ 


^'iv. ";-  -^.t; 


..••'i'. . 


"■'iV 


•if:; 


»''{'■ 


208 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


.«'  ' 


■  ■  /.  V.;:.  i .■.■ 


to  his  health ;  he  forgets  all  his  interests  and  wi^  hear  neither 
advice,  nor  remonstrance  ;  he  thinks  only  of  gratifying  hia 
brutal  appetite,  whatever  may  be  the  consequence,  and  fears 
nothing  but  being  disturbed  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  guilty 
pleasures.  Hence  the  horror  of  death  vv^hich  torments  the 
voluptuous  sinner,  because  it  is  to  separate  him  from  all  he 
holds  dear,  and  to  cite  him  before  the  dread  tribunal  of  God. 
Let  us  then  detest  a  vice  so  fatal,  and  make  ourselves  secure 
with  the  assistance  of  God's  grace,  in  the  contrary  virtue, 
Christian  chastity,  which  regulates  us,  with  respect  to  purity, 
according  to  the  state  in  which  Providence  has  placed  us. 

This  beautiful  virtue  renders  us  like  unto  the  angels  thiMu- 
selves :  it  is  infinitely  pleasing  to  God,  and  he  rewards  it  in 
a  munificent  manner,  sometimes  even  in  tliislife.  Our  Lord 
promises  heaven  to  those  by  whom  it  is  practised :  "  Hlessed 
are  the  clean  of  heart,  for  the}'  shall  see  God."  To  pre- 
serve this  virtue,  which  is  exposed  to  many  dangers,  there 
are  two  means  which  Jesus  Christ  himself  has  made  known 
to  us  in  the  Gospel:  they  are  vigilance  and  prayer. 
"  Watch  and  pray,"  says  he,  "  that  ye  enter  not  into  temp- 
tation  !"  To  watch  over  one's  self,  is  to  guard  against  all 
that  might  give  the  slightest  wound  to  this  precious  virtue. 
We  must  watch  our  ej'es,  that  they  never  rest  on  any  dan- 
gerous object ;  our  ears,  that  they  listen  not  to  bad  dis- 
course ;  we  must  guard  our  mind,  po  as  to  keep  away  all 
thoughts  and  ideas  contrary  to  purity,  and  our  heart,  so  as 
to  stifle  all  evil  desires  in  their  very  birth.  "  As  soon  as  a 
bad  thought  arises  in  your  mind,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "  re- 
pulse it  with  firmness,  and  it  will  depart  from  you  ;  but  if 
you  suffer  it  to  remain  a  moment,  its  image  will  excite  ia 
your  heart  a  pleasure  fatal  to  your  innocence  :  that  plea- 
sure will  lead  to  consent,  consent  to  action,  action  to  habit, 
habit  to  necessity,  and  necessity  to  eternal  death."  By  re- 
jecting immediately  and  with  force,  all  dangerous  thoughts, 
we  avoid  this  frightful  chain  of  misfortunes.  Secondly,  we 
must  have  recourse  to  prayer  when  we  feel  the  very  first 
motion  of  this  passion,  saying  with  confidence,  as  did  tlie 
Apostles :  "  Lord  !  save  me,  or  I  perish !"  Let  us  not  even 
wait  till  we  are  tempted  in  order  to  have  recourse  to  God. 
Let  us  pray  him  often  and  with  fervour,  either  to  preserve 


TOWARDS   GOD. 


209 


ut  from  temptation,  or  to  give  us  strength  to  surmount  it' 
Let  us  also  beg  the  assistance  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  our 
angel  guardian,  and  our  patron  Saint  If  we  are  faitliful 
to  this  practice,  we  may  be  sure  that  we  shall  obtain  the 
victory,  and  even  derive  advantage  from  temptation,  by 
becoming  firmer  in  the  path  of  virtue. 

Example. — There  was  in  a  certain  city  a  scholar  who 
justly  passed  for  a  model  of  virtue,  and  who  frequented 
the  Sacraments  in  the  most  edifying  manner.  Going  one 
Sunday  to  church  to  perform  his  devotions  as  usual,  he  met 
two  of  his  comrades  who  were  not  at  all  as  pious  as  he 
was.  They  invited  him  to  breakfast  in  a  neighbouring  inn, 
and  he  refused  for  some  time,  but  they  insisted,  urged,  and 
at  last  drew  him  away  with  them.  They  sat  down  to  table, 
and  he  drank,  at  first  through  compulsion,  but  afterwards 
of  his  own  accord  ;  his  senses  gradually  gave  way,  and  he 
became  intoxicated:  while  in  that  state  he  was  induced  to 
commit  a  shameful  crime,  and  at  that  very  moment  it  was 
that  he  was  struck  dead!  . 

How  terrible  are  thy  judgments,  O  my  God !  and  how 
impenetrable  thy  ways ! — the  unhappy  companions  of  this 
poor  wretch,  being  seized  with  terror,  immediately  went  to 
expiate  by  a  rigorous  course  of  penance  the  irreparable 
crime  of  having  plunged  a  soul  into  hell !  Collet. 


ARTICLE  IV. 

OF    ENVY. 

Envy  is  a  criminal  sorrow  for  the  welfare  of  our  neigh 
hour.  The  envious  are  wounded  by  the  merit  of  others ; 
they  car.not  bear  to  be  surpassed,  or  even  equalled,  and  are 
grieved  to  see  in  another  talents  or  virtues  which  they  do 
not  possess,  yet  which  they  would  fain  engross  to  them- 
selves. If  the  sight  of  those  advantages  which  others  are 
Been  to  have,  inspired  only  the  desire  of  imitating  them, 
then  the  feeling  would  not  be  envy,  it  would  be  a  noble 
emulation,  but  that  is  widely  different  from  what  the  envioua 
feel :  they  do  not  so  nmch  desire  to  possess  these  estimable 
qualities  as  to  see  others  deprived  of  them ;  they  look  upoa 


ftt  -is*. .  ■Lr  •«;'"'., 

."I J■^.■V'■.1*^'-'■Hi.:'■|  ••■ 


.' '  "  .*;''.v-  ;*.'-.V . 

t.'  1.  'i  '  .  **•'• 

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210 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHBISTIAIT 


'^^*^' 


1^1^;  .■/^v^v-'- 
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the  good  fortune  of  others  as  a  positive  misfortune  to  them- 
selves, the  success  of  their  neighbour  as  a  real  loss,  and  his 
reputation  as  it  were  a  disgface  to  them.     This  unhappy 
disposition  of  the  heart  is  like  a  gnawing  worm  :  it  is  a  poj. 
son  which  consumes  in  secret,  so  that  iis  miserable  victim 
is  his  own  executioner.     How  low  and  base  is  this  vice,  and 
ow  fatal  are  its  consequences !     The  first  effect  of  envy  is 
he  joy  caused  by  the  misfortune  of  another.     If  the  person 
envied  falls  into  disgrace,  the  envious  man  rejoices,  and  ex- 
ults in  his  downfall ;  and  he  takes  a  malignant  pleasure  in 
seeing  him  humbled,  though  at  the  same  time,  he  may  never 
have  injured  him^  in  any  way.     A  vindictive  man  attticks 
only  his  enemies,  or  those  from  whom  he  has  received,  or 
thinks  he  has  received  some  injury,  but  the  envious  hate 
those  against  whom  they  have  no  cause  of  complaint,  but 
only  their  virtues — their  whole  crime  is  the  possession  of 
some  peculiar  virtue  or  talent     How  monstrous  !     Is  the 
heart  of  man,  then,  capable  of  such  depravity  ?     The  second 
effect  of  envy  is  slander  and  calumny  ;  the  envious  seek  to 
lessen  the  reputation  of  those  whose  merit  annoys,  them,  and 
try  by  every  means  to  have  them  spoken  of  less  favourably ; 
giving  malicious  interpretations  to  all  their  actions  ;  twisting 
the  fairest   virtues  into  vices,  representing   piety   as  only 
dissimulation  and  hypocrisy,  and  success  as  the  effect  of 
chance,  not  of  superior  talents  or  abilities.     The  third  effect 
of  envy  is  the  actual  intention  of  injuring  one's  neighbour. 
From  words  the  envious  proceed  to  deeds ;  they  thwart  the 
designs  of  the  other  in  every  way  they  can,  and  take  every 
means  to  give  him  trouble,  to  prevent  him  from  obtaining 
what  he  desires,  or  to  deprive  him  of  it,  if  already  obtained. 
Hence   they   sometimes  are  carried   to   commit  the  most 
violent  excesses.     It  was  through  envy  that  Cain  killed  his 
brother,  and  it  was  envy  that  inspired  tiie  brethren  of  Joseph 
with  the  design  of  putting  him  to  death,  and  induced  them 
to  sell  him  as  a  slave.     It  was  envy  that  prompted  the  Pha- 
risees and  doctors  of  the  law  to  calumniate,  persecute,  and 
crucify  the  very  Son  of  God.     Let  us,  then,  never  open  our 
hearts  to  this  detestable  vice,  and  let  us  do  all  we  can  to 
acquire  the  opposite  virtue,  which  is  a  Christian  affection, 
tliat  renders  us  sensible  to  the  happiness  and  to  the  misfo:^- 


e  inisiop-- 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


'4il 


tunes  of  our  neighbour,  for  God's  sake,  and  for  the  salvatiou 
of  our  brethren. 

This  affection  is  nothing  more  or  less  thar  charity :  he 
who  is  animated  by  chaiity  sympathizes  with  \.is  brethren 
in  all  that  befalls  them,  rejoicing  in  their  joy,  and  mourning 
with  them  in  their  sorrow,  and  in  short  is  susceptible  to 
whatever  concerns  them,  as  though  it  concerned  himself. 

Example. — There  were  two  merchants  who  lived  near 
each  other  in  a  city,  and  being  mutually  jealous  '  they 
lived  in  the  most  scandalous  enmity.  It  chanced,  however, 
that  one  of  the  two,  beginning  to  reflect,  on  his  state,  lis- 
tened to  the  voice  of  religion,  although  it  condemned  his 
animosity ;  he  consulted  a  pious  person  in  whom  he  con- 
fided, and  besought  him  to  advise  him  as  to  how  he  was  to 
effect  his  reconciliation  with  his  neighbour.  "  The  best 
way,'*  was  the  answer,  "  is  this  which  I  am  about  to  point 
out  to  you :  when  people  come  into  your  shop  to  buy,  and 
that  you  have  not  what  they  want,  direct  them  to  go  to 
him."  This  advice  was  followed,  and  the  other  merchant, 
being  told  who  it  was  that  sent  him  so  many  customers,  was 
deeply  touched  by  such  conduct  in  a  man  whom  he  had 
regarded  as  his  enemy.  He  went  to  his  house  on  purpose 
to  thank  him,  begged  his  pardon  for  the  ill-will  he  had 
borne  him,  and  entreated  him  to  receive  him  as  a  friend. 
His  request  was  readily  granted,  and  Religion  drew  closely 
together  those  whom  interest  and  jealousy  had  kept  asunder. 

Christian  Reading. 


ARTICLE   V. 

ON    GLUTTONY, 

Gluttony  is  an  inordinate  love  of  eating  and  drinking. 
We  are  not  forbidden  to  feel  pleasure  in  either  the  one  or 
the  other ;  for  it  is  by  a  wise  foresight  that  God  has  sea- 
soned with  a  feeling  of  gratification  the  use  of  the  food 
necessary  for  pieserving  our  health  and  life.  But  we  abuse 
this  blessing  when  we  seek  only  the  pleasure  alone  ;  wa 
must  eat  and  drink  in  order  to  live,  ard  not  to  flatter  sen- 


J,"  ..•>•- Ti' I,:      .    • 


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212 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


•uality.  Our  sole  end  should  be  to  satisfy  the  wants  of 
nature,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  fulfil  our  duties  and  serve 
God,  according  to  the  words  of  the  Apostle :  "  Whether 
you  eat,  or  drink,  do  all  for  the  glory  of  God/'  If  we  wish 
to  observe  this  precept  of  St.  Paul,  we  must,  in  our  repasts, 
think  not  of  gratifying  the  body,  but  of  following  the  order 
of  God,  who  wills  that  we  should  preserve  life.  To  seek 
only  the  gratification  of  the  senses  is  gluttony,  a  vice  un< 
worthy  of  man:  it  weighs  down  the  soul,  brutalizes  tlie 
mind,  ruins  the  health  and  shortens  life.  "  Gluttony  kill!] 
more  than  the  sword,"  said  an  ancient  writer.  It  produces 
drunkenness,  and  excess  in  eating.  This  detestable  vice 
degrades  man,  and  places  him  even  below  the  beast.  Hence 
well-bred  people  are  seldom  subject  to  it,  for  a  man  of  edu- 
cation and  refinement  will  carefully  avoid  it.  It  begets 
sensuality,  which  consists  in  seeking  exquisite  and  delicate 
meats,  or  in  making  use  of  things  which  we  know  to  be  in- 
jurious to  health,  because  they  gratify  the  appetite ;  and 
finally,  in  eating  too  greedily  of  even  ordinary  food.  What 
H  shame  it  is  for  a  rational  man  to  let  himself  be  governed 
by  sensuality,  instead  of  repressing  its  first  motions  ? 
Gluttony  gives  rise,  moreover,  to  forgetfulness  and  con- 
tempt  of  the  laws  of  the  Church.  One  who  is  addicted  to 
that  vice,  is  but  little  disposed  to  pr.'^ctise  the  fasts  and 
abstinence  which  the  Church  ordains;  he  thinks  not  of 
mortifying  himself;  the  laws  which  prescribe  certain  priva- 
tions appear  an  insupportable  yoke,  and  he  seeks  pretences 
to  evade  their  observance,  and  not  only  does,  he  neglect  to 
keep  the  fast,  but  even  scruples  not  to  use  forbidden  meats. 
Finally,  gluttony  gives  rise  to  dissension ;  for  it  is  from 
mtemperance  that  quarrels,  and  wrath,  and  animosity  arise. 
AVe  have  in  the  Scripture  a  striking  picture  of  it,  traced  by 
the  Holy  Ghost  himself ;  here  is  the  way  in  which  it  is 
depicted :  "  To  whom  shall  wo  be  said  ?  for  whom  shall 
there  be  quarrels  ?  for  whom  snares  and  downfalls, — for 
whom  wounds,  if  it  be  not  for  those  who  pass  thojr  time  hi 
drinking,  and  who  take  pleasure  in  emptying  cups  ? " 

We  ought,  therefore,  to  have  a  lively  horror  of  a  vice  so 
degrading  to  a  man,  and  still  more  so  to  a  Christian.  Let 
U8,  m  all  our  repasts,  practise  Christian  sobriety,  that  virtue 


■■-^ 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


213 


which  regulates  the  use  of  eating  and  drinking  accordi:  i^ 
to  necessity, — that  virtue  which  makes  the  body  more  robust, 
and  prolongs  our  life ;  let  us  watch  over  ourselves  that  we 
pass  not  the  bounds  of  real  necessit}',  in  an  act,  which  of 
itself  tends  to  satisfy  nature.  A  Christian  regards  food  as 
a  remedy ;  he  heeds  neither  the  promptings  of  greed,  nor  of 
sensuality  ;  he  avoids  delicacies,  and  the  search  after  any 
thlUg;  thai  flatters  the  senses  ;  in  a  word,  he  thinks  only  o. 
imitating  Jesus  Christ,  who  chose  to  subject  himself  to  this 
humiliating  action,  in  order  to  leave  us  a  model ;  he  has 
always  before  his  mind  that  salutary  advice  which  our  Lord 
himself  has  ^'iven  us :  "  Watch  carefully  over  yourselves, 
that  your  hearts  be  not  weighed  down  by  the  excess  of 
meat  and  of  wine,  and  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  may  not 
take  you  by  surprise."  The  most  efficacious  means  of 
keeping  in  mind  the  rules  of  temperance,  and  obtaining 
strength  to  follow  them,  is  to  say,  piously,  the  prayer  befoje 
and  after  meals.  By  this  we  shall  draw  down  upon  our- 
selves the  blessing  of  God,  and  obtain  the  grace  not  to 
offend  Him.       » 

Example. — In  all  the  records  of  crime,  disorders  and 
excesses,  perhaps  there  is  nothing  so  horrible  or  tragical  as 
what  happened  to  a  young  man,  in  Africa,  in  St.  Augustine's 
time.  This  young  man  was  named  Cyril ;  he  was  much 
addicted  to  drinking,  and  spent  a  great  part  of  his  time  in 
taverns,  with  companions  as  debauched  as  himself.  One  day, 
when  he  had,  as  usual,  gratified  his  beastly  passions,  he  wetit 
home  in  a- state  of  intoxication,  and  commenced  operations 
by  stabbing  one  of  his  sisters.  Alarmed  by  her  cries,  the 
father  ran  to  the  spot ;  whereupon  the  son,  in  a  fit  of  fury, 
attacked  him  too,  and  imbrued  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  the 
author  of  his  life.  He  also  stabbed  another  of  his  sisters, 
who  attempted  to  save  her  father  from  the  murderous  banc 
of  that  unnatural  son,  or  rather,  of  that  execrable  monster. 

How  many  crimes — atrocious  crimes — committed  by  one 
man,  in  one  single  day  !  St.  Augustine  was  very  soon  in- 
formed  of  this  lamentable  occurrence,  and  although  he  ha'^ 
already  preached  twice  that  day,  he  immediately  caused  tn.- 
people  to  assemble  a  third  time ;  and  ascended  the  pulpi* 


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214 


DUTY    OF  THE    CHBISTIAN 


with  teartui  eyes  and  a  sorrowful  heart,  to  relate  to  his  hear 
ers  this  horrible  tragedy.  On  hearing  what  had  happened, 
the  whole  assembly  broke  forth  into  cries  and  lamentations, 
never  having  thought  it  possible  that  a  man  could  go  to  such 
lengtlis  in  iniquity ;  and  fearing  that  the  wrath  of  Heaven 
might  fall  on  their  city,  for  having  given  birth  to  such  a 
monster.  St  Augustine  availed  himself  cf  the  opportunity 
to  show  how  far  an  evil  passion  can  carry  its  unhappy  vic- 
tim. His  tears  and  sobs  spoke  more  forcibly  than  any 
words  could  do.  Related  by  St.  Jlugustine. 


ARTICLE   VI. 


OF  ANGER. 


There  is  a  holy  anger  excited  by  zeal,  which  moves  us 
to  reprove,  with  warmth,  those  whom  our  mildness  failed  in 
correcting :  such  is  the  anger  of  a  father,  or  of  a  master, 
on  seeing  the  disorders  which  he  is  bound  to  prevent.  Our 
Lord,  himself,  was  moved  with  this  anger,^when  he  drove 
from  the  Temple  those  who  profaned  its  sanctuary.  But 
the  anger  which  is  a  capital  sin  is  of  a  very  different  kind, 
being  an  impetuous  emotion  of  the  soul  which  incites  us  to 
spurn,  with  violence,  any  thing  that  offends  us.  It  springs 
from  an  evil  principle,  for  it  is  the  effect  of  a  passion  which 
rules  in  the  heart,  when  once  it  meets  with  any  obstruction. 
A  proud  man  is  carried  away  by  whatever  affects  his  vanity 
or  his  ambition  ;  a  miser  is  excited  when  any  thing  disturbs 
his  schemes  for  making  money,  and  a  voluptuous  man  is 
angry  when  his  pleasures  are  broken  in  upon.  This  anger 
IS  neither  according  to  God,  nor  to  good  sense ;  it  causes 
confusion  and  trouble  in  the  soul,  and  the  disorder  to  which 
*t  giwes  rise  within  is  visible  on  the  face,  and  in  the  whole  de- 
meanor of  the  person  giving  way  to  it ;  his  eyes  are  inflamed, 
nis  voice  obstructed,  his  whole  body  trembles — he  no  longer 
knows  himself,  nor  respects  any  thing :  thence  the  abuse 
which  he  heaps  on  the  objects  of  his  wrath;  the  venom 
which  flows  in  torrents  from  his  mouth  ;  the  most  atrocious 
slander,  the  blackest  calumny,  are  all  made  use  of  by  him ; 
thence  the  imprecations  which  he  uUers  against  hinisself, 


■  ■^^^'•'"i 


f  ..-t' 


»; .  •*' 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


815 


and  at  times,  even  the  most  h'^rrible  blasphemy  against  every 
thing  holy ;  nothing  is  sacred  for  that  impious  tongne.  He 
is  soon  carried  to  the  most  outrageous  excess  of  violence, 
and  the  most  revolting  cruelty  scarcely  suffices  to  satisfy  his 
vengeance,  or  allay  his  rage.  Such,  then,  are  the  terrible 
effects  of  this  fatal  passion.  We  must,  therefore,  accustom 
ourselves  early  to  overcome  and  keep  down  its  first  motiona 
in  our  heart,  and  exercise  ourselves  in  Christian  mildness. 

This  virtue  makes  us  bear,  for  God*s  sake,  all  manner  of 
contradiction ;  it  represses  all  the  emotions  and  sallies  of 
anger,  and  enables  us  to  refrain  from  showing  any  symp- 
tom of  impatience  or  of  bitterne«s, — from  allowing  any 
expression  of  contempt  or  of  complaint  to  escape  us, — it 
causes  one  to  have  a  serene  and  modest  look,  enables  us  to 
bear  with  the  caprice  and  ill-humour  of  others,  and  to  win 
them  over  by  our  mildness. 

Example. — Ruffin  relates  that  a  solitary,  feeling  himself 
tempted  to  anger  in  his  monastery,  said  within  himself:  "  1 
will  go  into  the  desert,  so  that  having  no  one  with  whom  to 
quarrel,  I'  may  have  no  occasion  for  anger."  So  he  with- 
drew into  the  desert,  and  took  up  his  abode  in  a  cavern. 
One  day  when  he  was  congratulating  himself  on  having  esca^ 
ped  from  the  occasions  of  anger,  it  chanced  that  his  pitcher 
which  he  had  filled  with  water,  had  been  upset  three  times 
in  succession,  by  his  own  want  of  precaution ;  this  irritated 
him  so  much  that  he  laid  hold  of  the  pitcher  and  broke  it 
in  a  fit  of  vexation.  Entering  immediately  into  himself, 
he  said :  "  The  demon  of  anger  has  deceived  me  ;  for,  al- 
though I  am  alone,  he  still  overcomes  me ;  since  then  our 
passions  go  with  us  every  where,  and  are  every  where  to 
be  combatted,  I  will  return  to  my  monastery." 

Lives  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Desert- 


ARTICLE   VII. 


or    SLOTH. 


Sloth  is  a  sluggish   d^lness  and  a  wilful  disgust  of 
labour,  which  leads  one  to  neglect  every  duty  rather  than 


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4. 

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210 


DUTY    OF    THE    CUKI8TIAN 


^1&!I^-'^^^'^-" 


'4'..v  ■;,&•  '.-■'■  • 


.4.  >?'f '  I- 


bo  disturbed.  There  are  no  sins,  no  disorders  to  whioli 
idletiiess  does  not  lead,  because  it  throws  the  soul  into  a 
state  of  numbness  and  feebleness  whereby  it  is  prevented 
from  resisting  its  evil  propensities :  hence  idleness  is  called 
the  njother  of  every  vice.  Its  most  immediate  offspring  is: 
tirst,  indolence  and  loss  of  time  ;  the  'ndolent  pass  days, 
iDonthsi,  and  years  in  doing  nothing,  or  in  frivolous  amuse- 
ments ;  they  think  not  of  fulfilling  the  duties  of  Religion ; 
player  is  either  entirely  omitted",  or  badly  said;  the  Sacra- 
ments are  either  abandoned  altogether,  or  received  without 
due  preparation.  Nor  do  they  acquit  Aemselves  better  o( 
ihe  duties  of  their  state :  a  young  man,  fr:  instance,  profits 
nothing  from  the  education  given  him,  doing  nothing  of 
what  is  prescribed  for  him  to  do,  or  doing  it  in  an  imperfect 
manner,  without  attention,  without  application ;  consequent- 
ly his  mind  remains  uncultivated,  his  memory  unexercised, 
and  he  leaves  the  house  of  education  almost  as  ignorant  a& 
when  he  first  became  its  inmate.  What  follows  ?  If  he  is 
given  any  important  office,  requiring  intelligence  and  ex- 
tensive information,  he  is  unable  to  fulfil  its  duties — h\8 
ignorance  is  perceived,  his  deficiency  speedily  found  out, 
and  he  falls  into  contempt.  How  great  is  then  his  regret 
for  iiiaving  lost  the  time  of  his  youth  ! — vain,  vain  regret ! — 
it  is  too  late,  that  loss  is  irreparable. 

The  second  vice  which  springs  from  idleness  is  pusillan^ 
imity,  or  faint-heartedness.  The  indolent  have  no  strength 
to  undertake  even  the  easiest  things ;  they  are  stopped  by 
the  most  trifling  obstacle,  and  every  thing  appears  impossi- 
ble, because  they  will  make  no  effort.  "  Wo !"  says  the 
Scripture,  "  to  those  who  are  faint  of  l.oart !"  Idleness 
also  produces  fickleness.  If  it  happens  that  they  conceive 
liny  desire  of  correcting  tliemselves,  that  desire  is  leeble, 
and  does  not  last  long;  they  are  soon  fatigued,  and  fall 
back  into  their  original  slothfulness.  "  The  idle  are  killed 
by  desire,"  says  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  they  will  and  do  not 
V*  ill ;  to-day  they  will  one  thing,  to-morrow  another ;  to- 
day they  will  do  well,  and  to-morrow  they  change  their 
mind."  Hence  that  cold  "  indifference  which  accompanies 
jiil  their  actions,  being  a  lassitude  of  the  heart  which  leavea 
no  taste  for  the  fulfilment  of  duty ;  hence,  in  fine,  that  in* 


T0WABD8  OOD. 


217 


sensibility  which  renders  him  deaf  to  the  re-'onstrances  and 
exhortations  of  those  who  would  arouse  hh.  from  his  leth- 
argy ;  nothing  animates,  nothing  affects  him — neither  the 
reproaches  which  he  draws  upon  him,  nor  the  good  example 
of  so  many  otheis  \  How  much  of  sin  there  is  in  a  sloth- 
ful, indolent  soul !  The  Scripture  likens  it  to  a  deserted 
gild  uncultivated  spot  of  ground.  "  I  passed,"  says  the 
sacred  writer,  "  by  the  field  of  the  sluggard,  and  it  was  full 
of  weeds ;  thorns  covered  the  ground ;  and  the  fence  wliich 
should  have  surrounded  it  was  broken  down."  Again,  listen 
to  til 9  words  addressed  to  the  slothful  by  God  himself,  in  the 
book  of  Proverbs  :  "  Go  to  the  ant,  oh  sluggard  !  consider 
its  ways,  and  learn  of  it  to  be  wise ;  for,  although  it  has 
neither  chief  to  conduct,  nor  master  to  instruct  it,  yet  has 
it  care  to  make  provision  during  summer,  and  to  pick  up  in 
the  harvest  wherewith  to  support  itself.  But  thou,  how 
!  t;  wilt  thou  sleep  ?  when  wilt  thou  awake  from  thy  slum- 
ht.  ?  If  thou  arisest  not  from  thy  lethargy,  want  shall 
come  upon  thee,  and  overwhelm  thee  ! "  Beg  of  God  the 
virtue  opposed  to  idleness,  that  is  to  say,  a  holy  activity, 
which  makes  us  love  our  duties,  and  renders  us  prompt  in 
their  fulfilment,  with  a  view  to  acquit  ourselves  of  them  for 
our  own  salvation.  Let  us  never  be  discouraged  by  the 
difficulties  of  our  lot ;  if  we  only  have  good  courage  God 
will  soon  render  easy  and  smooth  all  that  at  first  appeared 
hard  and  irksome ;  it  is  He  who  has  imposed  upon  us  the 
necessity  of  labour,  and  He  will  help  us  to  practise  what 
He  has  commanded  us  to  do.  Be  assured  that  the  lassitude 
which  attends  on  idleuess  is  a  thousand  times  more  insup- 
portable than  the  most  laborious  employment. 

Examples. — "  Go  to  the  ant — consider  her  ways,  and 
learn  wisdom  of  her  ! "  This  advice  of  Solomon  was  of^c  n 
quoted  by  a  certain  director  of  souls,  when  addressing  liis 
people.  "  This  life  is  the  harvest  time,  and  lay  in  no  w  a 
provision  of  good  works  that  may  purchase  heaven  for  )ou 
hereafter.     Sluggard,  how  long  wilt  thou  sleep  ? " 

— A  certain  holy  man  used  to  say  every  time  he  hear(' 
the  clock  strike  :  *'  Oh  my  God  !  another  hour  of  my  life  ha 
passed  away,  and  I  must  render  an  account  of  it,  as  of  ever> 
moment  of  my  life." 


•Hi*  •(.;,.'<   ■  ■;  . 
;     '   >       *•*■-.'■" 


"'*-. 

^.-. 


I.  J' 


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BUTT  OF  THE  CIIRI8T1AW 


PART    SECOND. 


OF    THE    SACRAMEIVTS    AND    OF    PKAYSR. 


INTRODUCTION 

ON    THE    NECESSITY    OF    GRACE    AND    THE    MEANS   OP 

OBTAINING    IT. 

We  stand  in  need  of  grace,  in  orrler  to  accomplish  thf 
will  cf  God,  and  save  our  own  souls.  Without  that  divine 
assistance  we  could  do  nothing  in  the  order  of  salvation, 
and  this  we  are  taught  by  our  Lord  himself,  in  these  words: 
*'  Without  me  you  can  do  nothln*.; ; "  and  by  St.  Paul,  as 
follows  :  "Of  ourselves  we  are  nol  able  to  have  any  good 
thought ;  but  it  is  God  who  enables  us."  Grace  is  a  super- 
natural gift  which  God  bestows  upon  us  through  His  great 


mercy,  and  in  consideration  of  the  merits  of  Christ.  Grace 
is  of  two  kinds:  1st,  the  sanctifying  grace,  whereby  we  are 
justified,  that  is  to  say,  by  which  we  pass  from  the  state  ol 
mortal  sin  to  that  of  justice  or  r?ghteousness ;  it  n^akes  us 
children  of  God,  pleasing-  in  his  sight,  and  heirs  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  :  this  grace  is  said  to  be  habitual,  when  we 
preserve  it  by  shunning  mortal  sin.  2d.  Actual  grace, 
which  consists  in  a  holy  thought  enlightening  the  mind,  and 
ill  a  good  inclination,  which  excites  and  assists  us  when  our 
will  is  to  do  good.  Original  sin  having  cast  a  thick  dark- 
ness over  the  mind,  and  a  profound  corruption  into  the 
heart,  we  are  consequently  born  in  ignorance,  and  with  a 
strong  tendency  to  evil,  which  is  called  concupiscence; 
these  are  the  two  great  sources  of  all  our  sins ;  for  we  only 
sin  because  we  are  ignorant  of  our  duty,  or  that,  knowing 
it,  wc  prefer  following  our  own  evil  propensities.  We  could 
never  free  ourselves  fvom  the  state  of  sin,  nor  do  good,  if 
God  did  not  open  the  3yes  of  our  understanding,  and  imprint 
on  our  heart  a  leaning  towards  virtue.  Grace  enables  us  to 
know  what  is  good,  inspiring  us  with  the  desire,  and  giving 
ns  the  strength  to  practise  it.  What  would  become  of 
n\an,  attacked  as  he  is  on  all  sides  —without  and  within— 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


tn 


If  tiocf  rtid  not  assist  him  in  his  Avonkness,  seeing  that  m 
natural  tenaency  to  evil  is  joined  by  the  temptations  of  iti# 
world  and  of  the  devil  ?  How  many  snares  are  sprtud 
ground  his  piith !  The  world  seeks  to  dazzle  his  eyes  by 
the  display  of  its  illusive' pomps  and  glittering  baubles,  in 
Ofidcr  to  fix  his  heart,  and  turn  it  away  from  (Jod.  The 
devil,  on  the  other  hand,  incessantly  attacks  him,  presenting 
to  his  view  all  manner  of  seducing  objects,  exciting  his  im- 
tgination  by  a  thousand  fancies,  and  ever  exciting  the  flesh 
to  revolt  against  the  spirit.  No,  ho  could  never  resist  so 
many  assaults  if  God  ceased,  a  single  moment,  to  sustain 
him.  Hence  it  is,  that  in  daily  reciting  the  Lord's  prayer, 
we  beg  of  God  that  his  name  may  be  sanctified,  that  his 
will  may  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,  that  he  give 
us  not  over  to  temptation,  and  that  he  may  deliver  us  from 
evil. 

It  is  then  true,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ, 
that  we  can  neither  glorify  the  name  of  God,  nor  do  his 
will,  nor  resist  temptation,  nor  shun  the  snares  of  the  evil 
spirit,  but  by  the  assistance  of  God,  but  with  grace  we  can 
do  all  things,  according  to  the  same  apostle :  "  I  can  do  all 
through  Him  who  strengthens  me."  Yet  this  help  is  not 
due  to  us,  otherwise  it  would  be  no  longer  a  grace ;  we 
have  no  right  to  it,  God  bestowing  it  upon  us  in  his  pure 
kindness,  and  by  virtue  of  the  merits  of  the  passion  and 
death  of  Christ.  This  grace  is  refused  to  none,  so  that  it  is 
our  own  fault  when  we  do  not  profit  by  it  to  do  good  and 
save  our  souls.  It  is  not  grace  that  fails  us,  it  is  we  who 
are  deficient.  God  has  attached  it  to  the  Sacraments  when 
they  are  received  with  proper  dispositions ;  he  has  promised 
it  to  prayer,  when  duly  made ;  so  that  we  have  two  infallible 
means  of  obtaining  grace, — and  these  are  the  Sacraments 
•nd  prayer. 

Sanc'^fj-iin^;  grace  is  received  through  the  channels  of 
Baptism  and  of  Penance,  instituted  by  Christ  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  which,  by  that  institution,  are  become  necessary 
means  of  sanctification.  In  the  second  place,  God  hat 
promised  to  hear  us  when  we  address  him  by  prayer,  when 
we  beg  the  assistance  of  his  grace,  and  solicit  his  mercy  in 
the  name  of  his  only  Son,  who  has  loved  us  even  unto 


\  * 


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:^.  •••♦.>  ,*  >^■ 

"  *  ^1     ',    ?  ' 

V  ^  A^•t.^;.■/• 


220 


DUTY    OP   THE    CHRHTIATf 


|i  ••  -J  •-.'.•»■,•.■.'  ■ 

.      ..    .1  .V,v, 

I**-."  *W  ^■■: 

-^    .•■;..,  t'  ■'.  • 
J  •  ■■:»•<•'*■'•!:■ 


death.  We  may,  therefore,  draw  down  upon  ouraulvcs  tht 
p-acc  of  God,  and,  with  His  powerful  aid,  we  shall  be 
enabled  to  keep  his  commandmonts ;  for  God  commands 
nothing  impossible,  but  only  enjoins  us  to  do  what  we  can, 
and  to  ast  for  what  we  cannot  d(5,  to  the  end  that  He  may 
assist  us  by  his  grace  ;  God  never  abandons  those  whom  H« 
has  once  justified  by  His  grace,  if  they  do  not  first  abandon 
Him  ;  nor  ever  ceases  to  protect  those  who  cease  not  to  l»e 
faithful  to  him. 

Example. — St.  Augustine  resisted  grace  when,  being 
pressed  to  return  from  the  ways  of  sin,  he  said  to  God: 
**  Lord  give  mo  a  little  more  time — yet  a  little  while ;  soon — 
soon  ; — to-morrow,  to-morrow  ! "  But  having  heard  of  the 
conversion  of  two  of  the  emperor's  officers,  who  had  r  • 
nounced  the  world  merely  from  reading  the  life  of  St. 
Anthony,  and  having  besides,  heard  a  voice  saying  :  "  Take 
and  read — take  and  read  ! "  He  took  the  Epistles  of  St 
Paul,  and  read  these  words :  "  Live  not  in  chamberjjig  and 
impurity  !"  He  said  to  himself:  "  How  long  shall  1  hesi- 
tate ?  How  long  shall  I  put  off  from  day  to  day  ?  Why 
not  at  once  ? — why  not  draw  myself,  even  this  very  moment, 
from  the  slough  of  infamy  and  guilt?"  Augustine  then 
co-operated  with  grace,  and  he  felt  what  one  of  the  officers 
had  been  known  to  say  :  "  It  costs  much  less  to  be  a  frioi)d 
of  God,  than  to  obtain  a  brilliant  fortune,  and  the  favour  oi 
the  emperor.  It  is  only  necessary  to  will  it,  and  I  stiall 
instantly  become  what  I  wish  to  be."  Libacms. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OF  THE  SACRAMENTS  IN  GENERAL. 

Jesus  Christ  has  instituted  the  Sacraments,  that  is  Ic 
say,  sensible  signs  to  which  he  has  been  pleased  to  join 
the  inestimable  gift  of  justification  the  Sacraments  are 
then,  as  it  were,  so  many  channels  by  which  he  communi* 
eates  to  us  his  saving  grace. 

The  Sacraments  are  signs,  since  they  make  known  to  as 


^ 


TOWARD*    GOD. 


221 


i> 


ail  iiiv'uilile  grace  which  they  operate  in  th^"  soul,  Miwl  the^ 
are  sensible  because  they  fall  under  the  observation  o(  our 
bcnses. 

There  arc  seven  Sacraments :  Baptism,  Confirmation, 
eiiance,  Eucharist,  Extreme  Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and 
Matrimony.  In  the  Sacraments  there  are  two  thin<j,s,  viz, : 
that  which  we  see,  and  that  which  we  do  not  see,  but  only 
believe.  \N  hat  we  see,  is  the  external  action  of  the  minis- 
ter ;  what  we  do  not  see,  is  the  invisible  operation  of  grace. 

Throe  things  are  necessary  to  constitute  a  sacrament : 
the  matter,  the  form,  and  the  intention  of  doing  as  the 
Church  does. 

The  things  used  in  the  administration  of  the  Sacraments 
are  the  matter,  as  the  words  are  the  form.  Tliese  two 
exterior  things  have  between  them  the  most  intimato  con- 
nexion, as  they  have  with  the  grace  which  they  communicate ; 
for  instance,  in  baptism,  the  matter  is  water ;  the  torm  con- 
sists in  these  words:  "I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  " — that  is  to 
say,  "  I  wash  you,"  ana  the  effect  of  baptism  is  to  purify 
by  giving  a  new  life.  iLe  matter  of  Confirmation  consists 
in  the  imposition  of  hands,  the  oil,  and  the  holy  chrism  ;  the 
form  is  in  the  words  which  accompany  these  two  actions, 
and  by  which  the  bishop  prays  the  Holy  Ghost  to  fill  the 
soul  with  strength  and  grace  ;  and  the  effect  of  this  sacra- 
ment is  to  strengthen  and  to  make  the  soul  flourish  in  its 
spiritual  life.  So  the  Eucharist,  of  which  the  matter  is  bread 
and  wine,  imparts  spiritual  nourishment ;  penance  heals  the 
wounds  of  the  soul ;  and  Extreme  Unction  delivers  us  from 
tlie  lingeiing  weakness  caused  by  sin.  Holy  Orders  pro- 
vide the  Church  with  the  ministers  by  whom  she  is  governed, 
and  the  sacrament  of  marriage  gives  her  children,  who 
r-^iiew  and  perpetuate  her  duration. 

AH  the  sacraments  have  been  instituted  for  our  sanctifl- 
caLion,  and  have  all  the  same  effect ;  but  there  are  distinc- 
tions between  them  which  must  be  remarked.  Firstly, 
Baptism  and  Penance  are  established  to  impart  the  spiritual 
life  of  grace,  and  hence  it  is  that  they  are  called  thf» 
sacraments  of  the  dead.  The  others  are  to  increase  in  us 
that  spiritual  life  thus  bestowed,  and  thej  are  accordingly 


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222 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


named  sacraments  of  the  living,  seeing  that  m  order  to 
receive  Uiem  worthily,  we  must  live  the  life  of  gi-ace,  which 
means  being  free  from  mortal  sin. 

Secondly,  there  are  three,  viz. :  Baptism,  Confirmation, 
and  Holy  Orders,  whereby  the  soul  is  not  only  sanctified 
through  grace,  but  it  is  also  stamped  with  an  indelible 
mark,  consecrating  it  to  God,  in  an  especial  manner.  They 
who  receive  these  sacraments  with  bad  dispositions  do  not 
receive  the  sanctifying  grace,  but  their  souls  are  stamped 
with  that  ineffaceable  mark.  Moreover,  even  when  grace 
is  received,  it  may  be  destroyed  by  sin,  but  the  divine  seal. 
Imprinted  by  these  sacraments,  can  never  be  erased,  and 
hence  it  is  that  neither  of  these  three  sacraments  can  be 
administered  a  second  time  to  the  same  person. 

Besides  the  action  and  the  words  which  are  essential  to 
each  sacrament,  the  Church,  ever  guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
lias  added  several  ceremonies  for  the  instruction  and  edifi- 
cation of  the  faithful.  Although  these  ceremonies  are  not 
absolutely  necessary  for  producing  the  effect  of  the  sacra- 
ments, yet  they  are  not  the  less  worthy  of  respect,  by  reason 
of  their  antiquity;  the  greater  part  of  them  appearing  to 
have  been  established  by  the  apostles  themselves.  These 
ceremonies  serve  to  make  us  hotter  acquainted,  with  the 
excellence  and  the  sanctity  of  the  sacraments ;  they  make 
known  to  us,  in  a  sensible  manner,  the  dispositions  with 
which  we  ought  to  receive  them,  the  effects  which  tliey 
produce,  and  the  obligations  they  impose  upon  us. 

Example. — A  zealous  priest  once  said,  in  a  tone  of  deep 
sorrow  :  "  Alas !  how  many  invalids  do  we  behold  crowding, 
during  the  summer  months,  to  the  waters  of  Bourbon,  ojf 
Vichi,  of  Bareges,  &c.  They  spare  no  expense  to  cure  any 
of  their  bodily  infirmities,  if  a  cure  is  at  all  possible.  Now, 
we  have,  in  the  sacraments,  admirable  remedies  for  all  the 
wounds  and  diseases  of  the  soul.  These  sources  of  grace 
infallibly  heal  all  who  apply  to  them  with  proper  disposi- 
tions— how  is  it  then  that  so  many  sinners  neglect  to 
approach,  or  draw  water  from  these  life-giving  fountains  ? — • 
and  how  is  it,  too,  that  so  few  of  those  who  do  come,  bring 
with  them  the  necessary  dispositions  1" 


TOWARDS   OOD. 

CHAPTER    II. 

OF    BAPTISM. 


22:i 


ARTICLE    I. 

ON   THE    NECESSITY    OF    BAPTISM. 

Baptism  is  a  sacrament  which  effaces  original  sin,  and 
makes  us  children  of  God  and  of  the  Church. 

It  is  the  first  of  all  the  sacraments,  and  gives  power  to 
participate  in  the  others.  It  was  instituted  by  our  Lord, 
when  he  said  to  his  apostles  :  "  Go,  teach  all  nations,  bap- 
tizing them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost :  all  those  who  believe  and  are  baptized 
shall  be  saved."  These  words  are  the  form  of  Baptism, 
and  common  water  is  its  matter. 

It  is,  therefore,  to  save  men  that  Jesus  Christ  has  insti- 
tuted baptism ;  it  is  to  deliver  them  from  sin,  and  from 
eternal  death,  which  is  the  penalty  of  sin,  and  to  render 
tliem,  by  a  second  birth,  children  of  God  and  of  the 
Church.  Baptism  remits  original  sin  in  children,  and  in 
adults  it  also  effaces  the  actual  sin  they  may  have  commit- 
ted from  the  time  they  attained  the  use  of  reason,  provided 
they  have  the  necessary  dispositions ;  baptism  also  remits 
the  penalty  due  to  these  sins,  and  hence  it  is  that  the 
Church  has  never  imposed  satisfaction  or  penance  on  the 
newly-baptized ;  but  it  does  not  remove  the  effects  of 
original  sin,  which  are  ignorance,  concupiscence,  the  mise- 
ries of  life,  and  the  certainty  of  death.  God  leaves  with  us 
these  consequences  of  original  sin  even  after  it  has  been 
effaced,  to  the  end  that  they  may  serve  to  exercise  our  virtue 
bjf  the  combats  we  have  to  sustain,  in  oider  to  avoid  evil 
and  do  good.  If  we  were  delivered  by  baptism  from  igno- 
rance and  the  propensity  to  evil,  we  should  do  good  without 
any  trouble  to  ourselves,  as  it  were  naturally ;  and  thence 
we  should  have  no  other  merit  than  that  of  corresponding 
with  grace,  since  the  practice  of  virtue  would  cost  ua 
nothing.  Baptism  stamps  upon  the  soul  a  spiritual  and  an 
indelible  character,  which  consecrates  it  to  God,  and  dia< 


mv --L"  •^•»'.-  ■ 
.■;f>^'L'*I::t#  •£•'■'' 


'.l-ll'fro'pT^      Urn, 

,.4]  *  ^  >    ■':-*  1 

''##'  ^■■'^'^ 


.7T^.;H:- 


':>..; 


.^•ri^^^-:".. 


->;.vi;. 


'•.V    Fi**'-'  . 


^■•5"if>-'r-.'il'  ■  •■■  '■■■: 


.•■■r-.-.\vT;'<  •".•■; 


,ii,..t.    . 


t;;,  i .   Nil  •f  '•*'',••' 

■.  M    .    ','  ■  •    I  '■■,■'•  <>" 
Ik.',.'    • ,  .  *ik^  k  r  *  *  ' 

.  ^        ^  .•   ;   ,    .  a 

■■..   -    ,•,■;■:,?;    •>■    -. 
'.  . ,   •■..»'  »v>    *  ' 

'. ' .•  i'* .  4"i ■  ■!  ■ 


>./V^ 

?■;  •W-i-.-i- 


224 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


tinguishes  the  baptized  from  all  others.  This  is  the  reason 
why  we  can  receive  baptism  only  once,  seeing  that  what  ia 
once  consecrated  to  God  belongs  ever  after  to  Him  by  an 
inalienable  right. 

Baptism  is  so  necessary  that  we  cannot  be  saved  without 
it,  conformably  to  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ:  "  Unless  a 
man  be  born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot 
enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Bui  it  may  be  supplied, 
either  by  maityrdom  or  by  desire,  and  hence  it  is  that  bap. 
tism  is  considered  as  of  three  kinds  :  baptism  by  water, 
baptism  by  desire,  and  baptism  by  blood.  Nevertheless  it 
is  only  baptism  by  water  that  is  a  real  sacrament,  and 
though  the  name  of  baptism  is  given  to  the  others,  it  is  only 
because  they  supply  the  want  of  that  sacrament,  when  it 
cannot  be  received,  and  because  they  have  the  same  effect. 
This  sacrament  is  styled  baptism  by  water  because  of  its 
being  given  with  water. 

The  second  is  called  baptism  by  desire,  or  by  tears,  be- 
cause  it  consists  in  a  true  and  sincere  regret  for  one's  sins, 
accompanied  by  a  great  love  for  God,  and  an  ardent  desire 
to  be  baptized ;  it  is  also  called  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  because  it  is  through  the  Holy  Ghost  that  one  im- 
mediately receives  the  grace  of  this  sacrament,  when, 
without  being  able  to  obtain  baptism,  one  dies  with  a 
sincere  oontrition  for  their  sins. 

The  baptism  of  blood  consists  in  suffering  martyrdom 
for  the  love  of  God  and  for  the  faith  of  Christ  Jesus,  ere 
yet  one  has  been  baptized ;  it  is  named  thus,  because  he 
who  dies  in  defence  of  the  faith  is  considered  as  baptized  in 
his  own  blood ;  and  because  he  receives  the  same  grace 
that  he  would  have  received  by  the  baptiLHi  in  water,  and 
even  more  perfectly,  because  martyrdom  represents,  in  a 
more  natural  manner,  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  from  which 
this  sacrament  derives  its  virtue  and  its  efficacy. 

Example. — "  I  knew  a  virtuous  woman,"  says  the  pious 
Bondon,  "  who,  although  very  poor  as  regarded  the  goods 
of  this  world,  was  rich  in  the  sight  of  Heaven,  being  full  of 
the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  a  tender  affection  for  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  There  was  a  magnificent  church  in  course 
of  erection  in  the  city  where  she  dwelt,  and  she  wanted  to 


give 
expeti 
she  II 
woulc 
tiling 
poor 
**Ipo 
ler  of 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


225 


give  a  crown-piece,  the  fruit  of  her  savings,  towards  the 
expense  of  the  building.  The  priest,  however,  to  whom 
phe  made  her  offering,  refused  to  receive  it,  saying  that  he 
would  much  rather  give  her  some  assistance  than  take  any 
tiling  from  her,  for  he  saw,  by  her  clothes,  that  she  was  very 
poor  indeed.  The  woman  replied,  with  admirable  faith: 
•*  I  poor,  father ! — why,  am  I  not  a  Christian — the  daugh' 
ter  of  a  mighty  king,  and  heiress  of  a  great  kingdom  ? " 

Month  of  Mary,  by  Father  Debussi. 


ARTICLE    II. 

THE    MINISTER       OP        THE    oACRAMENT  OF    BAPTISM. 

Baptism  being,  as  it  is,  necessary  for  salvation,  Jesus 
Christ,  in  instituting  it,  has  given  to  men  all  imaginable 
facilities  for  its  reception  ;  hence  it  is  that  although  in 
ordinary  cases  it  is  only  priests  who  have  the  right  of  bap- 
tizing, and  that  children  must  be  taken  to  the  church  to 
receive  tho  sacrament,  with  all  the  usual  ceremonies,  yet 
any  one  may  baptize  in  case  of  necessity,  and  the  baptism 
is  valid,  provided  that  common  water  be  poured  upon  the 
head  of  the  person  baptized,  at  the  same  time  pronouncing 
these  words :  "  I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  In  order  that  the 
baptism  be  duly  administered,  the  water  must  really  touch 
some  considerable  part  of  the  body,  otherwise  the  baptism 
must  be  considered  as  doubtful,  and  the  child  is  to  be  again 
baptized  if  opportunity  offers. 

This  ought  also  to  be  done  if  it  is  doubtful  whether  the 
child  has  life,  or  whether  it  was  previously  baptized,  or  if 
tlie  baptism  was  valid,  or  in  any  other  extraordinary  case ; 
the  form  then  is,  while  pouring  on  the  water :  "  If  you  can 
receive  baptism,  or  have  not  been  baptized,  I  baptize 
you,  &;c." 

Baptism  being  absolutely  necessary  for  all  men,  it  is  ob- 
ligatory on  those  who  are  converted  to  the  Catholic  faith, 
having  the  use  of  reason,  to  receive  this  sacrament ;  but  the 
practice  of  the  church,  with  regard  to  them,  has  been 
always  very  different  from  her  treatment  of  infants.     These 


mr-.u' ■•'♦■•  ■ 

■>«■■  -j^iSf '.•-;■  :ri  ■•-■■" 


l^.. 


'*■ 


•"  / 


M 


^^\: 


'■•  v.. 


;    *      * 

!'■  . 

•      :.       ■"■.■ 

i 

,,  v^'«•..■■-:^-•i 


226 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRIS riAIf 


M  'a  '•  *•  ''  • .''!,;  ' '  • 


.UV^i 


u-^'*  •■*■•*>?>■ 

•  ■.•■        •     A.-  'ii 

'  ■■■•'*   -t  -  v'.  .'»••  %   '  • 

•      ■  •  •*-'*'<''  *.''•  •'  ' 

r  Z'M' ■-':■: 


f'^H.--'-"-  ■. 


•-'.■•'. 

?     .t]  ■.■>-•'  Av   •  r 


latter  being  incapable  of  receiving  instruction,  she  admilo 
them  to  baptism  without  any  dispositions  because  they  could 
not  possibly  have  any ;  but  she  acts  in  a  different  manner 
with  those  who  have  attained  the  use  of  reason.  They  are 
first  instructed  in  the  sacred  mysteries,  and  in  all  .that  it  ia 
necessary  to  know  of  our  holy  religion ;  they  are  admon- 
ished  not  to  present  themselves  for  baptism  without  having 
the  purest  intentions,  with  a  heart  entirely  free  from  affec- 
tion to  sin,  and  they  are  exhorted  to  do  penance  for  the  sins 
they  have  already  committed.  In  former  times,  baptism 
was  only  administered  to  adults  twice  in  the  year,  on  the 
vigils  of  Easter  and  of  Pentecost,  unless  that  soino  one  was 
in  danger  of  death,  and  it  was  for  that  reason  that  the  water 
for  baptism  was  blessed  on  those  days. 

ExAMpr.iiJ. — A  certain  missicnary  was  going  about  in  a 
remote  region  of  the  New  World,  seeking  to  win  over  souk 
to  Christ.  One  day  a  savage  presented  himself  before  him, 
who  appeared  to  have  extraordinary  dispositions.  As  soon 
as  this  man  had  become  acquainted  with  the  sacred  myste- 
ries, and  what  relates  to  the  sacraments,  the  priest  baptized 
him,  and  gave  him  the  Holy  Eucharist,  which  he  received 
with  transports  of  love  and  of  gratitude.  The  missionary 
then  went  on  his  way,  and  a  year  passed  away  before  he 
returned  to  that  same  place.  As  soon  as  the  savage  heard 
of  the  return  of  him  whom  he  regarded  as  his  father,  he 
hastened  to  meet  him,  and  entreated  him  to  give  him  once 
more  the  holy  communion.  "  Yes,  my  son  ! "  said  he, 
"but  you  must  first  confess  all  the  mortal  sins  you  may 
have  committed  since  your  baptism :  be  not  afraid,  I  will 
help  you  to  accuse  yourself"  "  How,  father  ?"  replied  the 
savage,  with  astonishment,  "  are  there  then  Christians  who 
after  being  baptized,  and  having  received  the  body  of  Christ, 
would  outrage  Him  by  committing  mortal  sin  ?  Thanks 
be  to  God,  I  do  not  find  myself  guilty  of  any  such  sins  !" 
And  he  burst  into  tears  while  accusing  himself  of  some 
trifling  faults.  The  priest  was  struck  with  admiration,  and 
blessed  God,  seeing  thus  that  he  was  served  and  honoured 
by  faithful  and  fervent  souls  even  amongst  the  uncivilized 
children  of  the  forest.  Edtfyins  Letters 


TOWARDS    GOD.  327 

ARTICLE   III. 

OP    THE    CEREMONIES    OF   BAPTISM. 

As  BAPTISM  is  the  first  and  most  necessary  of  all  the 
Bacraments,  the  Church  ordains  that  Jt  is  to  be  administered 
with  a  great  number  of  ceremonies,  in  order  to  set  forth  the 
excellence  of  the  sacrament,  and  the  obligations  incuired  in 
receiving  it.  The  sign  of  the  cross  is  very  often  made  in 
administering  baptism,  to  show  that  this  sacrament  derives 
all  its  value  from  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  to  signify  that  the 
life  of  a  Christian  is  a  life  of  crosses  and  sufTeringsj,  and 
that  he  is  to  walk  ever  in  the  footsteps  of  Christ.  Several 
unctions  are  also  made,  either  of  the  holy  oil  or  the  sacred 
chrism,  to  denote  the  interior  unction  of  grace  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  infuses  into  the  soul  of  the  baptized  person, 
and  that,  as  oil  penetrates  the  body,  strengthens  it  and 
heals  its  wounds,  so  does  the  grace  received  in  baptism 
penetrate  the  heart  and  fortify  it  against  the  passions. 

The  person  awaiting  baptism  remains  at  first  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  church,  to  indicate  that,  being  the  slave  of  the 
devil,  he  has  no  right  to  go  farther  into  the  house  of  God, 
because  of  the  original  sin  wherewith  he  is  sullied. 

There  he  is  exorcised  and  questioned  on  the  principal 
mysteries  of  faith. 

The  priest  afterwards  makes  several  unctions,  recites 
prayers,  puts  salt  in  the  mouth  of  the  cl  Id,  and  touches  its 
ears  with  spittle,  to  denote  that  he  is  about  to  communicate 
to  it  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  of  unuerstandlng.  He  then 
asks  it  whether  it  believes  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  in 
Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Then,  having  asked  the  child  if  it  will  bo  baptized,  and 
having  received  an  affirmative  answer  from  the  godfather 
and  godmother,  he  baptizes  it  by  the  name  of  some  particu- 
ler  "aint,  so  as  to  give  it  a  protector  in  heaven,  and  a  model 
for  the  life  it  ought  to  lead  on  earth.  Having  baptized  the 
child,  the  priest  places  on  its  head  a  white  cloth,  and  in  its 
hand  a  lighted  taper,  to  indicate  the  purity  which  it  has 
received,  and  that  it  is  ever  to  walk  by  the  light  of  faith,  and 
to  be  an^-nated  by  ti^e  fire  of  charity.     He  then  inscribea 


v|Ki   i 


5  ..■> 

''  'J' ' 


^*  ill.''  i  '^ii\  f 


■I*«%j 


^Ji 


■lili 


■'^Mt  tell 

. ..>■- ' .-.   •  ... 

■Vr-         •,   ;./,  ,         -I   .,    ...   ,• 


<^  ■If  lit 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTU  ^ 


'•'i:i  i::v '■-'.- ''.-.S 

•  >  •'■     '  •  *  .  .  '  v't 

"      •.•■■;;'■.  ■iJ>tr 


K-  y.  :V^t*f!v■••■• 
J.I  1  •  "  .  -^w.iitFJtf ->■{ . 

I  "if  ',  Ti     .:'  ■     •  i.»;.-.  * 

If  ■•>•  1  vf *^  ■.    . 


■u  ,:i- 


■'J  li.-   ■*•  i.   .•Vii-'..- 

-If?'  ••■■.•*■■  •-■^.-  ■  i 

. » ,i   •   »  .  -  ,      <  ■ 


I 


its  name  on  the  parish  registry,  showing  that  it  is  now  num. 
bercd  amongst  the  children  of  God. 

'I'lio  sponsors  at  the  baptismal  font  are  named  godfather 
and  godmother;  they  are,  as  it  were,  security  before  (iod, 
for  the  baptized,  that  he  will  faithfully  acquit  himself  of  the 
obligations  of  his  baptism,  and  they  engage  to  instruct  hirii 
in  tlie  duties  of  a  Christian,  and,  as  far  as  they  can,  to  make 
him  put  them  in  practice. 

The  obligation  of  godfather  or  godmother  is  so  great 
towards  the  child  for  whom  they  have  answered  at  the  font, 
that  if  the  father  and  mother  or  other  relatives  fail  to  in- 
struct it,  they  are  strictly  obliged  to  supply  the  deficiency. 

Example. — Great  festivities  were  going  forward  in  Rome, 
and  the  emperor,  Dioclesian,  was  there  in  person.  The 
comedian,  Genes,  thought  he  could  not  better  divert  the 
court  than  by  a  mock  representation  of  the  ceremonies  of 
baptism.  He  appeared,  lying  on  the  stage  as  though  he 
were  sick,  and  demanded  to  be  baptized  so  that  he  might 
die  in  peace.  Two  other  comedians  then  entered,  one  at- 
tired as  a  priest,  and  the  other  as  an  exorcist.  Approach- 
ing the  bed,  they  said  to  Genes :  "  My  child,  why  hast  thou 
summoned  us  hither?"  Instantly  the  heart  of  Genes  was 
changed,  and  he  answered,  seriously :  "  Because  I  wish  to 
receive  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  holy  regeneration 
obtain  the  remission  of  my  sins."  But  this  reply  was  only 
received  as  in  the  most  perfect  keeping  with  tlie  part  he 
had  to  play.  The  ceremonies  of  baptism  were  regularly 
gone  through,  and  when  it  was  time  to  cover  the  baptized 
with  the  white  robe,  the  soldiers,  in  order  to  carry  on  the 
farce,  presented  him  to  the  emperor  to  be  examined  like  the 
martyrs.  Genes  then  spoke  out  with  all  his  easy  fluency 
of  speech,  and  from  the  elevated  position  which  he  occu- 
pied, addressed  all  present  in  an  inspired  tone:  "  Give  ear, 
emperor,  courtiers,  senators,  plebeians,  and  all  the  ordf>' 
f  imperial  Rome,  hearken  unto  me :  heretofore,  when 
dierely  heard  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  pronounced,  I  shud- 
dered with  horror,  and  persecuted  as  far  as  lay  in  my  power 
all  who  professed  a  belief  in  Him ;  I  regarded  with  unmixed 
hatred  such  of  my  neighbours,  or  fellow  actors  as  became 


m 


now  num. 


le  occu- 


TOWARDS    OOH, 


229 


Christians,  and  I  (detested  their  religion  so  much  that  1 
made  myself  acquainted  with  its  mysteries,  as  ye  have  all 
seen,  to  the  end  that  I  might  publicly  turn  them  into  ridi« 
eule ;  biit  at  the  moment  when  the  baptismal  water  touched 
my  flesh,  my  heart  was  totally  changed,  and  the  replies 
which  I  gave  to  the  subsequent  interrogatories  were  per- 
fectly sincere ; — I  answered  just  as  I  believed.  I  saw  a 
hand  extended  from  the  highest  heavens,  and  radiant  angels 
hovering  above  me.  I  saw  them  read  in  a  terrible  book  all 
the  sins  I  have  committed  from  my  infancy  up,  but  imuiedi- 
ately  after  they  wiped  them  out,  and  showed  me  the  book 
whiter  than  snow.  You  now,  then,  great  emperor !  and 
ye,  spectators  of  all  classes,  whom  our  sacrilegious  sports 
have  caused  to  laugh  at  these  divine  mysteries,  believe,  all 
of  you,  with  me,  who  are  more  guilty  than  any  amongst 
you, — believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Lord,  worthy  of  all 
homage  and  adoration,  and  thus  try  to  obtain  mercy  fi'om 
Him!" 

The  emperor  Dioclesian,  equally  surprised  and  irritated, 
instantly  caused  Genes  to  be  beaten  with  a  stick,  and  sent 
him  then  to  ( le  prefect,  Plautien,  so  as  that  he  might  be 
made  to  sacrifice  to  the  gods.  The  prefect  employed  every 
means  of  torture,  but  all  in  vain.  Genes  constantly  replied : 
"There  is  no  master  like  unto  Him  whom  I  have  seen;  and 
I  adore  lum  and  love  him  with  all  my  heart  and  soul ;  had  I 
a  thousand  lives  to  lose,  nothing  sould  separate  me  from 
him,  no  torment  can  force  Jesus  from  my  heart  and  from 
ny  lips :  I  bitterly  deplore  my  past  transgressions,  and  that 
I  have  begun  so  late  to  serve  him  !"  It  was  observed  that 
his  eloquence  made  an  impression  on  his  listeners ;  and, 
fearful  of  its  effect,  they  hastened  to  cut  ofl!*  his  head. 

It  must,  however,  be  remarked  that  a  ceremony  so  ira. 
piously  performed,  could  only  be  for  St.  Genes  a  baptism 
of  salvation  by  an  especial  and  miraculous  act  of  grace,  by 
which  God  excited  in  the  heart  of  th6  saint  a  true  and  nii> 
cere  contrition  for  his  sins. 


■4"  t..'-v  > 


3".  •  »•  >  r,|.',' 

„  •  '\'<n.\v^  ••  •   ■■■ 
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SSD 


DUTY    OF   THB    CHRISTIAN 


ARTICLE  IV. 


ON    THE    BAPTISMAL    VOWS. 


When  presented  to  the  Church  to  receive  the  h(>ly  bap. 
tism,  we  were  asked  if  we  believed  in  God,  if  we  would  live 
according  to  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  and  if  we  renounced 
with  all  our  heart  the  devil  and  his  pomps — the  world  and 
its  maxims ;  and  it  was  only  when  a  formal  and  affirma. 
tive  answer  had  been  returned,  that  we  were  admitted 
amongst  the  children  of  God. 

It  was,  therefore,  in  the  face  of  heaven  and  earth,  in  the 
presence  of  God  and  his  holy  angels,  that  we  promised  to 
obey  the  law  of  Christ,  and  to  practise  it  in  its  fullest  <ix. 
tent.  It  is  true  we  had  not  the  use  Oi"  reason  at  the  time  of 
our  baptism ;  but  it  was  for  us  and  in  our  name  that  these 
promises  were  made ;  we  have  since  ratified  them  as  oft>i(» 
as  we  made  a  public  profession  of  Christianity;  we  also 
confirmed  them  every  day  by  making  on  ourselves  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  by  reciting  the  Lord's  prayer,  assisting  at  the 
holy  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  and  by  participating  in  the  sacra- 
ments. We  are  not,  therejpre,  our  own  property,  but  be- 
long  to  God, — our  soul,  our  body,  and  all  are  his.  To 
follow  the  maxim%  of  the  world,  to  seek  after  its  vanities,  to 
love  the  pomps  of  the  devil,  to  be  ashamed  of  the  Gospel, 
would  be  to  renounce  the  character  of  a  Christian,  violata 
our  engagenients,  become  prevaricators,  trample  on  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  outrage  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  shame- 
fully to  expel  him  from  our  hearts.  Let  us,  then,  never 
forget  that  these  vows  are  written  in  the  book  of  Life,  that 
God  has  account  of  them  in  heaven,  and  that  we  shall  be 
judged  by  them  at  the  hour  of  death.  On  our  fidelity  hi 
fulfilling  them  depends  our  salvation  and  our  eternal  desti- 
ny. In  order  to  keep  them  in  jur  minds  we  ought  often  to 
renew  them,  and  inceesantly  to  thank  the  Lord  for  having 
snatched  us  from  the  thraldom  of  the  Evil  One,  and  called 
us  to  the  kingdom  of  his  Son. 

Example. — We  read  in  iSe  history  of  the  Church  that  a 
holy  deacon,  named  Murrita,  having  answered  at  the  sacred 


T0WAKU8  GOD. 


2S) 


font  for  a  young  man  named  Elpiphodorur,  had  the  mJafor- 
tune  to  see  him  become  an  apostate  and  a  persecutor  of 
tlie  ChristianR  One  day,  when  he  was  publicly  tormenting 
some  Christians  in  the  midst  of  an  immense  crowd,  the  holy 
deacon  suddenly  appeared ;  he  had  preserved  the  white  robe 
wherewith  Elpiphodorus  had  been  covered  at  his  baptism, 
and  presenting  it  to  him,  he  cried  out  in  a  loud  voice : 
♦*  Behold  the  witness  of  thine  apostacy ;  this  will  bear  testi- 
mony against  thee  at  the  judgment  seat  of  God.  Look 
upon  this  white  garment  wherewith  I  clothed  thee  at  the 
gacred  font ;  it  will  call  out  for  vengeance  upon  thee,  and 
it  shall  be  changed  into  a  robe  of  fire  and  flame  to  burn 
thee  for  all  eternity."  The  spectators  were  moved  to  tears 
by  this  address,  and  Elpiphodorus  withdrew,  covered  with 
confusion.  History  of  the  Church, 


CHAPTER   in. 

OF    CONFIRMATION. 


ARTICLE   I. 

ON   THE    NATURE    AND    EFFECTS   OF   CONFIRMATION. 

CoNFiK:.iATioN,  which  is  the  second  of  the  Sacraments, 
increases  within  us  the  grace  of  Baptism,  and  makes  us  per- 
fect Christians  by  imparting  to  us  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  all 
the  abundance  of  his  graces.  This  Sacrament  completes 
what  was  begun  by  Baptism,  oi  which  it  is  the  perfection. 
The  gracP!  of  Baptism  is  one  of  regeneration  which  makes 
ns  children  of  God ;  that  of  Confirmation  is  a  grace  of 
strength  and  of  courage  which  elevates  us  to  the  dignity  of 
a  perfect  man,  and  renders  us  capable  of  fighting  and  oveiw 
coming  in  bearing  testimony  to  Jesus  Christ,  even  at  the 
expense  of  our  own  life.  This  effect  wo  see  in  the  person  of 
each  of  the  Apostles.  Before  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
they  were  weak  and  timid ;  but  no  sooner  were  they  filled 
with  his  grace  than  they  became,  as  it  were,  other  men,  and 
announced  Jesus  Christ  with  intrepid  courage.     The  Holy 


\* 


*  •■»; 


•  r£-"  ■■ 


"f^St- 


.'^k'-i 


I'-ivj^i.^fWi.V.    f 


S82 


DUTY   OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


Ghost  still  descends  on  those  who  receive  confirmation,  and 
he  produces  in  them  the  same  effects,  but  in  an  iii  sibfe 
manner,  because  religion  is  now  so  well  established  that  it 
must  be  practised  without  the  aid  of  miracles. 

Although  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not  descend  visibly  oa 
those  who  are  confirmed,  as  it  often  happened  in  the  primi. 
tive  Church,  yet  he  always  pours  upon  them  the  plenitude 
of  his  gifts  and  graces.  Seven  principal  gifts  are  attributed 
to  the  Holy  Ghost, — that  of  Wisdom,  which  enables  us  to 
taste  of  the  things  of  God ; — that  of  Intelligence,  which  gives 
us  to  understand  the  truths  of  religion ; — that  of  Counsel, 
which  makes  us  walk  in  the  way  of  salvation  ; — Science,  or 
Knowledge,  which  enables  us  to  discern  good  from  evil ; — 
Fortitude,  which  gives  us  strength  to  repulse  the  obstacles 
that  may  oppose  our  salvation ; — Piety,  which  makes  us 
steadily  fulfil  our  duties  towards  God,  our  neighbour,  and 
ourselves ; — and  finally,  that  of  the  Fear  of  God,  which  in>« 
presses  on  the  soul  a  great  respect  for  the  divine  Majesty 
everywhere  present. 

The  fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are :  Charity,  which  unites 
us  to  God  by  love  ;  Joy,  which  fills  us  with  a  holy  consola- 
tion ;  Peace,  which  produces  tranquillity  amid  all  the  tumult 
of  the  world  ;  Patience,  which  enables  us  to  bear  annoyance 
and  oj)position  for  God's  sake ;  Benignity,  which  prompts 
us  to  relieve  the  wants  of  our  neighbour ;  Goodness,  which 
renders  us  beneficent  to  all ;  Longanimity,  which  prevents 
us  from  being  disturbed  by  the  various  trials  of  life  ;  Meek- 
ness, which  induces  us  to  bear  with  the  failings  of  others ; 
Faith,  which  enables  us  to  believe  with  firmness  and  cev- 
tainty ;  modesty,  whereby  our  exterior  is  regulated  accord- 
ing to  the  maxims  of  the  Gospel ;  Continence  and  Chastity, 
which  preserve  our  bodies  in  that  state  of  purity  which  be- 
comes the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Bishops,  as  being  the  successors  of  the  Apostles,  are  the 
usual  ministers  of  Confirmation.  The  ceremonies  which 
accompany  the  administration  of  this  Sacrament,  are  so 
many  outward  signs  of  the  admirable  effects  which  it  pro- 
duces in  the  soul. 

The  bishop,  turning  towards  those  who  are  to  be  con- 
firmed, extends  his  hands  over  them,  to  indicate  that  the 


t;^'  .* 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


233 


Holy  iJhost  takes  tliom  under  his  protection,  and  is  about 
to  fill  them  with  his  grace.  He  then  recites  a  prayer,  in- 
voking the  Holy  Ghost,  and  imploring  him  to  replenish  with 
his  gilts  those  who  are  to  be  confirmed.  Ho  next  takes  the 
holy  chrism,  and  applies  it  to  the  forehead  of  each,  saying  : 
"  I  mark  you  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  I  confirm  you 
with  the  chrism  of  salvation,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  prayer,  with 
that  which  accompanies  the  imposition  of  hands,  constitutes 
the  form  of  Confirmation,  teaching  us  at  the  same  t'me  Imw 
precious  are  the  ofTccts  produced  by  this  Sacrameit  in  the 
souls  of  those  who  worthily  receive  it. 

The  holy  chrism,  composed  of  oil  of  olives  and  balsam, 
ig  well  adapted  to  make  known  to  us  the  abundance,  the 
sweetness,  and  the  strength  of  the  grace  which  then  fills  the 
soul,  penetrating  and  strengthening  it,  even  as  oil  penetrates 
and  strengthens  the  body ;  balsam  is  also  a  symbol  of  the 
good  odor  of  Jusus  Christ,  which  the  confirmed  should 
give  forth  by  the  practice  of  every  virtue. 

The  imposition  of  hands  and  the  unction  with  the  holy 
chrism,  being  the  matter  of  Confirmation,  are  equally  ne- 
cessary to  the  validity  of  that  Sacrament. 

Although  this  Sacrament  is  not  absolutely  necessary  for 
salvation,  still  any  one  neglecting  to  receive  it,  is  guilty  of 
a  considerable  fault ;  they  deprive  themselves  of  the  abun- 
dant graces  it  communicates,  and,  moreover,  disobey  Jesus 
Christ,  who  has  instituted  it  for  our  advancement  in  the  life 
of  grace. 

Example. — Julian,  the  apostate,  made  up  his  mind  to 
the  public  profession  of  impiety  and  infidelity.  For  that 
purpose  he  caused  great  preparations  to  be  made  for  sacri- 
ficing to  the  idols  in  a  temple  dedicated  to  the  demon.  He 
went  there  in  person  with  all  his  court,  so  as  to  give  all 
possible  splendour  to  the  impious  ceremony.  All  being  rea- 
dy,  the  emperor  made  a  sign  for  commencing.  But  what 
was  the  astonishment  of  the  priests  when  they  found  them- 
selves totally  unable  to  proceed  with  the  abominable  cere- 
mony !  Moreover,  they  found  that  their  knives,  which  they 
had  carefully  prepared,  could  not  penetraie  the  fliesh  of  the 


H  *'<)|-  i.'* 

•  U.  ,      L  •*'''.   . 

' '  '  fc     *  I  • ,     ■•  . 

,;•:>■>;.  :.r4*>-v-: 
"'t  ■ '  ■ '  ''..''' 

•  I  i  . 
.'  '*:.u  'II*.  f . 

I  ••'  .-f     •■:  ■  • 

'"p  *  ?■■■'■■  .-  :',i  '  • 

'i  ■•■■..  •  'I    I 


.• '  I*' 
•  V  .   . 

-  .1     •• 


•A  J^.  '?•■•,■■. 

:  ■i'-.:,''V  .  ■    * .. 


•  'I 


'•     •  V" .'  *.",  •• '. 


'  '  >•^^<i;^'■, 


■■Vyi'ifi^r^ 


t     ♦■    ■  <■'...>/     A  ■ 
|>' ''  •       •*'  ^  '  ■  •(».' 


•■.'.•>:  rft* 


'1   ■  i h-  '    . ".'■■•  •     ■  •    - 

rf    -f'^  .  ..■••»;.  ,  •• 

■Lf    ■^     •    '         *     5 « 

Ii.-r*ii*-  *  "^'  '•  •  •. 


2ai 


DUTY  or  THE  CIIBI8TIAN 


*4 


victitii,  and  that  the  fire  which  tlioy  had  kiiulleci  on  the  altai 
was  siiddoiily  extnigiiishod.  The  sacrificer  exclaimed  : 
riicro  is  certainly  some  great  invisible  power  obstructing 
our  ceremonies !"  And  he  entreated  the  emperor  to  have  a 
search  made,  for  that  there  must  b»i  amongst  the  assistants 
Bome  (jlalilean,  either  newly  washed  with  water,  or  an. 
ointed  with  oil — (meaning  baptized  or  confirmed.)  'rhcri* 
was,  indeed,  in  the  temple  a  young  page  who  was  a  Chris- 
tian, and  had  been  confirmed  but  a  few  days  before.  The 
emperor  having  called  out :  "  Let  the  search  be  made !"  the 
page  instantly  stepped  forward  and  said,  "  Learn  that  I  am 
a  Christian,  lately  anointed  with  oil,  to  animate  mo  for  the 
combat.  I  am  a  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  redeemed 
me  by  his  cross ;  Him  do  I  acknowledge  as  my  God,  and 
I  glory  in  belonging  to  him.  It  is  I,  or  rather  the  God 
whom  I  serve,  who  has  put  a  stop  to  these  impious  ceremo- 
nies. I  have  invoked  the  sacred  name  of  Christ,  and  there- 
fore the  devils  could  not  in  my  presence  be  worshipped  as 
gods.  At  the  name  of  Jesus,  who  is  the  true  God,  they 
were  forced  to  quit  the  place."  The  emperor,  who  had 
once  been  a  Christian,  and  well  instructed  in  the  power  of 
Christ  the  Lord,  was  instantly  struck  with  terror.  He 
dreaded  the  effects  of  the  divine  vengeance,  and  covered 
with  confusion,  he  quitted  the  temple  without  uttering  a 
word.  The  courageous  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ  went  to  tell 
the  Christians  of  what  had  happened;  they  returned  thanks 
to  God,  and  recognized  how  terrible  to  the  demons  are  those 
who  hav«  received  the  grace  of  the  Sacrament  of  Confirma- 
tion. Eccleaiastical  History, 


ARTICLE   II. 

Ml    THE    DISPOSITIONS    NECESSARY    FOR    CONFIRMATION. 

Kf^  Co  FiRMATioN  Can  be  received  but  once,  it  is  of  great 
Importance  to  bring  to  its  reception  the  necessary  disposi- 
tions, in  order  to  obtain  all  the  graces  peculiar  to  that 
Sacramei. 

''^e  firs\  disposition  necessary  for  receiving  Confirmation, 
ii  to  be  pro  terly  instructed  in  the  mysteries  of  Faith,  ami 


*'?' 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


23ft 


U>  renew  the  profession  of  our  bollef;  it  is,  therefore,  neces- 
sary to  know  the  Creed,  and  to  thoronyiily  understand  its 
niejining,  as  well  as  what  regards  tiie  Sacraments,  the  Com- 
mandnierita,  grace  and  prayer.  And  if,  on  some  occasions, 
young  children  are  admitted,  although  they  are  scarcely  able 
to  con)[)rehend  these  matters,  their  admission  is  a  pure  in- 
dulgence, on  account  of  their  innocence  and  tender  age. 
When  receiving  a  Sacrament,  we  cannot  be  too  well  in- 
structed, and  we  expose  ourso.ves  to  great  danger  when, 
through  our  own  fault,  we  are  deficient  \n  understanding. 

The  second  disposition  is,  to  have  the  conscience  purged 
of  all  mortal  sin ;  this  preparation  is,  perha])S,  even  more 
necessary  than  the  first,  and  can  in  no  case  be  disjjensed 
with :  the  Holy  Ghost  himself  assures  us  in  the  Scripture, 
that  "  Wisdom  shall  not  enter  a  soul  that  is  ill-disposed,  nor 
dwell  in  a  body  subject  to  sin."  ConHrmation  is  a  Sacra- 
ment of  the  living,  and  consequently  spiritual  life  is  sup- 
posed to  exist  in  the  soul  which  receives  it ;  its  effect  is  to 
increase  that  spiritual  life,  and  if  it  were  previously  dead, 
how  could  it  be  fortified  or  strengthened  ?  In  order,  then, 
to  be  confirmed,  one  must  either  have  retained  their  baptis- 
mal innocence,  or  recovered  it  by  a  true  penance.  Finally, 
the  third  disposition  is  an  ardent  desire  of  receiving  the  Holy 
Ghost  with  the  abundance  of  his  graces.  It  was  by  this 
holy  Hos.ii-  and  by  ferveni  prayer  that  the  Apostles  pre- 
pare(  selves  for  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  it 

is  bv  rniitating  their  fervor  that  we  shall  draxv  him  down  to 
dwvK  in  our  souls.  This  grace  should  be  sought  with  fer- 
vw  and  perseverance,  for  God,  who  is  all  goodness,  is  ever 
ready  to  impart  it  to  us. 

Example. — The  disciples,  being  dispersed  by  the  perse- 
cution which  arose  in  Jerusalem  after  the  martyrdom  of  Sv\ 
Stephen,  St  Phillip,  one  of  the  seven  deacons,  went  to  Sa- 
maria, and  having  converted  and  baptized  a  great  number 
of  persons,  he  sent  word  to  the  Apostles,  who  deputed  St. 
Peter  and  St.  John  to  impose  hands  on  the  new  converts, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  visibly  upon  them. 

Acts,  8th  chapfc 


ft 


■  <•  ■••..to  ' ' ,  1  •  » 


'■■■-:  -^  .^r?v.^ 

-   ■    '•it  > 


. » 


'  .S'fiii'"'**  Jfl5*-*';'M 


.  .  :      I* 
■•F«i   si 


lie'-  • 


'  ',    "'I.  -■ 
•.<■■       •■;/■ 


890 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


.•feian., 


J^>.-V   ::f^ 


M    '•.  ■t!'  •    >*  t  •   •■  •  . 


ARTICLE   III. 

ON    THE    OBLIGATIONS    IMPOSED    BY    CONFIRMATION. 

Confirmation  imposes  upon  us  two  principal  obliga- 
tions ;  the  first  is  that  of  confessing  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
even  at  the  peril  of  our  life  :  and  the  second  is,  never  to 
blush  for  the  Gospel,  and  to  brave  human  respect.  A  con 
firmed  Christian  is  obliged  to  defend  the  faith  when  unbe- 
lievers attack  it  in  its  dogmas,  or  libertines  assail  its  morality. 
He  must  bear  testimony  unto  Jesus  Christ;  that  is  to  say, 
he  must  courageously  defend  the  faith  that  he  has  taught 
us, — arise  at  once  against  those  by  whom  it  is  attacked, 
fearing  neither  raillery  nor  the  threats  of  men,  nor  even 
death  itself  The  terrible  punishment  wherewith  Jesus,  in 
the  Gospel,  threatens  those  who  fail  to  perform  this  duty, 
ought  to  show  us  how  indispensable  it  is.  "  Whosoever," 
says  our  Lord,  "  shall  recognize  me  before  men,  him  shall  I 
also  recognize  before  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven;  and 
whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  shall  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father."  It  is,  therefore,  a  crime  not  to  confess 
Jesus  Christ  before  men,  and  not  to  stand  up  in  his  defence 
when  he  is  outraged  and  abused.  Let  us,  then,  oppose  a 
courage  worthy  of  the  soldiers  of  Christ,  to  the  dangerous 
discourse  of  corrupt  men  who  would  shake  our  faith ;  and 
let  us  maintain  the  cause  of  our  Master  with  all  possible 
zeal.  Would  we  permit  any  one,  in  our  presence,  to  tear 
the  reputation  of  a  father,  or  a  friend  ?  How  then  can  we 
suffer  any  one  to  outrage  before  us  the  God  who  has  given 
us  life, — he  who  is  our  first,  our  real  father,  and  who  is  to 
be  our  eternal  reward  ?  It  is  above  all  by  the  purity  of  our 
morals,  and  the  regularity  of  our  life  that  we  are  to  confess 
Jesus  Christ,  and  to  win  over  to  Him,  if  it  be  possible,  those 
who  oppose  his  doctrine.  Example  is  much  more  persua- 
sive than  words,  and  nothing  is  more  honourable  to  our  holy 
religion  than  a  Christian  and  virtuous  life. 

The  bishop,  in  administering  Confirmation,  makes  the 
Sign  of  the  Cross  on  the  forehead  of  the  person  confirmed, 
and  gives  him  a  slight  blow,  to  teach  him  that  he  oughi 
never  to  be  ashamed  of  practising  the  law  of  Christ — that 


n,  nor  even 


sn,  oppose  a 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


237 


he  *>ugnt  to  be  superior  to  human  respect,  and  that  weak- 
ness, so  unworthy  of  a  Christian,  which  hinders  him  from 
doing  good,  and  prompts  him  to  do  evil  rather  than  dis- 
please the  wicked.  A  young  man,  for  instance,  dares  not 
frequent  the  Sacraments,  sanctify  the  festivals,  assist  at 
mass,  or  observe  the  days  of  abstinence,  because  he  fears  to 
be  laughed  at  by  his  companions  who  pursue  an  opposite 
course ;  he  sees  that  by  fulfilling  his  duties,  he  will  become 
tlie  fibject  of  their  raillery,  and  that  is  quite  sufficient  to 
make  him  do  as  they  do  !  How  insulting  is  such  conduct 
towards  God  ! — how  fatal  are  its  effects,  and  how  unrea- 
sonable it  is !  and  what  an  outrage  does  it  offer  to  God, 
when  one  fears  less  to  lose  his  friendship  than  that  of  men, 
and  such  men  as  they  are ! — perverse  and  wicked  men,  who 
merit  neither  esteem  nor  confidence,  but  who  are  really 
worthy  of  contempt!  What!  on  the  one  side  God  decrees 
that  we  should  preserve  piety  in  our  hearts  by  the  frequent 
use  of  those  means  established  by  himself  for  our  sanctifica- 
tion ;  and  because  certain  young  libertines  choose  to  scofll*, 
and  to  abandon  the  Lord  and  his  worship,  we  are  to  be 
ashamed  of  obeying  his  precepts  ! — What  cowardice  !  Shall 
we  fear  rather  to  fall  into  disgrace  with  the  impious  than 
with  our  God  ?  What  a  crime  it  is  to  prefer  the  creature 
to  the  Creator !  If  God  be  for  us,  what  have  we  to  appre- 
hend from  them  ?  If  God  be  against  us,  what  assistance 
can  they  give  us  ?  When  we  perish,  can  they  save  us  ? 
When  God  will  condemn  us,  shall  they  be  able  to  defend 
US  ?  What !  we  blush  for  our  fidelity  in  the  fulfilment  of 
our  duty !  But  is  not  that,  on  the  contrary,  our  real  and 
true  glory  ? — When  has  virtue  become  the  cause  of  confu- 
Bion  and  disgrace  ? — What  a  total  perversion  of  ideas  is 
this! — How  opposed  to  the  teaching  of  reason,  and  to  all 
our  natural  feelings  ! — It  is  vice  which  ought  to  be  ashamed, 
and  not  virtue ;  it  is  to  guilt  that  shame  belongs,  and  not 
to  innocence.  Who,  after  all,  are  these  censors  of  virtue — 
these  men  whose  displeasure  is  so  much  dreaded,  and  whose 
good  opinion  so  eagerly  sought  ?  They  are,  for  the  most 
part,  men  who  are  given  up  to  their  brutal  passions,  and 
who  writhe  under  that  shameful  yoke,  a  secret  uneasiness 
goes  with  them  everywhere,  empoisoning  every  moment  of 


it  -•  •» " •  ■,■-.,  .1. 

,'  r,"  !>'■■,     ..  "■  ■ 


I""  ;• 

tii  .'.NT'  ■;•  ■ 


:l* •  "'■  ■  .'*"    ■-  ■ 


>.-'i:> 


;>,". 


238 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


W4 


il-jA-ai',;:.': 


their  lives ;  they  are  continually  torn  with  the  most  cruel 
remorse  ;  tormented  by  the  reproaches  of  their  own  con- 
science ;  they  would  stifle  that  importunate  voice ;  and  it 
is  to  find  some  security  in  the  number  of  their  accomplices 
that  they  endeavour  to  draw  others  into  sin.  Yet  whilst 
they  outwardly  inveigh  against  virtue,  they  cannot  but  re- 
epect  it  in  their  heart,  and  bewail  their  own  want  of  it ;  and 
they  persecute  the  just,  while  in  reality  they  esteem  them 
and  envy  their  lot,  and  if  they  had  a  precious  deposit  to 
confide,  it  is  to  them  they  would  assuredly  give  it. 

ExAMi'LE. — An  officer,  distinguished  by  his  birth  and  by 
his  wealth,  was  on  the  point  of  obtaining  a  vacant  post  of 
considerable  importance,  but  he  was  accused  of  being  a 
Christian,  and  his  religion  excluded  him  from  all  honours  and 
offices.  The  governor  gave  him  some  hours  to  reflect  ou 
what  he  would  do.  During  that  time  he  was  visited  by  the 
bishop,  who,  taking  him  by  the  hand,  led  him  to  the  church, 
and  made  him  enter  the  sanctuary.  Having  reacbeJ'-^ 
foot  of  the  altar,  he  pointed  to  the  sword  which  hung  at  : 
side,  and  at  the  same  time  presented  to  him  the  book  of  tuc 
holy  Gospels,  telling  him  to  choose  between  one  and  the 
other.  The  officer,  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  extended 
his  right  hand,  and  took  the  sacred  volume.  '*  Attach  your- 
self, then,  to  God,"  said  the  bishop ;  "  He  will  strengthen 
you,  and  grant  you  that  which  you  have  chosen.  Go  in 
peace  !"  On  leaving  the  church,  the  officer  presented  him- 
self before  the  governor,  and  having  generously  confessed 
the  faith  of  Christ,  he  was  condemned  to  death,  and  expired 
in  great  torment.  Merauw 


CHAPTER    IV 


or  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE. 


ARTICLE    I. 

ON    THE    NATURE,    FORM    AND    NECESSITY    OF    PKNANCB. 

Penance  is  a  Sacrament  which  remits  the  sin/i  commit- 
ted after  Baptism,  howsoever  great  or  numerous,  ticy  maj 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


239 


be,  provided  that  the  sinner  accuses  himself  of  them  with 
proper  dispositions.  This  Sacrament  was  instituted  by  Jesua 
Christ,  when,  after  his  resurrection^  he  breathed  on  his 
apostles,  and  said  to  them:  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost: 
whose  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted,  and  whose  sina 
ye  retain,  they  are  retained !" 

The  form  of  this  Sacrament  consists  in  these  words  of  the 
priest,  who  is  the  minister  of  Penance :  "  I  absolve  you,  in 
tlip  '.ijime  of  the  Father,"  &c.;  and  the  matter  in  those  sina 
committed  after  Baptism.  The  three  acts  of  the  penitent, 
namely,  Cc»ntrition,  Confession,  and  Satisfaction,  must  ac- 
company the  Absolution,  otherwise  the  Sacrament  is  null 
and  void  for  the  remission  of  sin ;  and,  moreover,  a  sacrilege 
Is  committed. 

Whoever,  then,  is  guilty  of  mortal  sin,  can  onlv  obtain  a 
remission  thereof,  either  by  means  of  this  Sacrament,  or  an 
act  of  perfect  contrition,  including  the  ardent  desire  of  re- 
ceiving it.  Let  no  one  say :  "  I  do  penance  in  private, — I 
do  penance  befoie  God !'* — " That  is  not  sufficient,"  says 
St  Augustine ;  "  recourse  must  be  had  to  the  Sacrament." 
As  sins  committed  before  Baptism  can  only  be  remitted 
through  that  first  Sacrament,  so  the  sins  committed  after 
Baptism  can  be  effaced  only  through  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance.  I  speak  here  of  mortal  sin,  because  venial  sin 
may  be  wiped  away  by  prayers  and  other  good  works.  It 
is  useful,  nevertheless,  to  submit  these  to  the  Sacrament,  and 
receive  absolution  for  them,  because  it  is  often  very  difficult 
to  distinguish  venial  from  mortal  sin  ;  and  also  because  the 
absolution  we  receive  increases  grace  within  us.  The  Sa- 
crament of  Penance  is,  therefore,  as  it  were  a  second  Bap- 
tism offered  to  sinners  who  have  lost  the  grace  of  the  first ; 
but  this  second  is  a  painful  and  laborious  baptism,  requiring 
tears,  sorrow,  and  toil ;  while,  in  the  first,  God,  wishing  to 
manlfL^i  his  exceeding  great  mercy,  blots  out  all  .stains  of 
ein  from  the  soul  without  demanding  any  exertion  on  the  . 
part  of  the  sinner ;  in  the  second,  by  a  mixture  of  justice 
and  mercy, — he  only  forgives  sin  on  the  fulfilment  of  certain 
hard  and  humiliating  conditions.  Besides  the  holy  severity 
of  Penance  is  not  only  a  salutary  remedy  for  the  expiation 
of  past  sins,  but  it  is  also  a  sort  of  restraint,  arresting  th« 


mm 


:f!ffif-p 


'■,■1'. 


V '■■'»%?;■■■•■  aBf  ?i 


Mm 


940 


DUTY    OF  THE    CHRISTIAN 


^M 


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■i',  ■  »*>■;  I. 
if     J- «-.^ ''•■■/■{: 

I 


'■''/■ 


r  '"'sf»f,:ii'  •*•■■' 

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•  it.'        '    'Wir   ••!  . 


tl 


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at'i-r-'V'ii"'''  "•^/■■ 
i    ♦  ■  ..t  ** -    * 


^IC 


^..»f?r*M'^ 


course  of  sin,  curbing  the  passions  of  man,  and  obliging  him 
to  be  for  tho  future  more  firm  and  more  circumspect  in  re* 
gistinir  the  seductions  of  the  world  and  the  flesh. 

Three  things  are  necessary  for  the  worthy  reception  of 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  namely,  Contrition,  Confession, 
And  Satisfaction. 

Example. — Monseigneur  de  la  Mothe  d'Orleans,  bishop 
of  Amiens,  confessed  every  eight  days,  and  in  his  prepara- 
tion for  confession,  he  always  made  thre.»  stations ;  tl  e  first 
in  hell,  the  second  in  heaven,  and  the  third  on  Calvary.  Ka 
first  descended  in  thought  to  the  place  of  torments,  and  be- 
held  the  place  which  he  believed  he  had  merited,  in  the  nidst 
of  devouring  and  everlasting  fire,  and  in  the  society  of  deh.ons 
and  reprobate  souls.  He  thanked  the  Lord  for  not  having 
cast  liiiii  in  there,  and  implored  his  mercy,  begging  of  Hitn 
all  those  graces  necessary  for  obtaining  his  salvatio/..  He 
then  ascended  in  spirit  to  the  regions  of  happiness  and  glo- 
ry ;  he  mourned  that  his  sins  had  closed  its  gates  against 
him ;  and  entreated  the  Lord  to  open  them,  at  the  same 
time  invoking  the  Saints  to  intercede  for  him.  He  next 
proceeded  in  imagination  to  Calv;irv  ;  there,  dwelling  atten- 
tively and  lovingly  on  his  crucified  fSuviour,  he  sakt  within 
himself;  "  That  is  my  work ! — I  am  tho  cnuse  of  the  tor- 
ments which  Christ  had  to  undergo  ;  I,  by  my  sins,  have 
co-operated  with  all  other  sinners  in  mangling  the  body  of 
a  man- God,  in  crucifying,  and  putting  Him  to  death.  0, 
Jesus  !  what  harm  have  you  done  me  ?  How  could  I  treat 
you  thus, — ^you  who  have  loved  me  even  to  excess, — you 
whom  I  ought  to  love  with  an  infinite  love,  if  that  were  pos- 
Bible  for  me  ?  It  is  because  you  are  infinitely  amiable  that 
I  love  you,  and  am  sorry  for  having  offended  you  !" 

What  fruit  should  we  not  derive  from  our  confessions, 
and  what  progress  should  we  not  make  in  the  ways  of  God 
If  we  followed  ii  the  steps  of  that  virtuous  prelate ! 

Life  of  M.  Ds  i^A  Moths. 


I* 


TOWARDS   GOD. 


ARTICLE   U. 


OF    CONTRITION. 


241 


Contrition  is  a  sorrow  and  a  detestation  for  sin,  with  a 
Orm  resolution  of  sinning  no  more.  This  lirst  disposition  is 
so  necessary,  that,  without  it,  no  sin,  even  venial  sin,  can 
ever  be  remitted.  A  malady  which  takes  away  the  use  of 
speech  dispenses  with  confession  :  a  sudden  death  sup;^)lies 
the  want  of  satisfaction,  at  least  in  this  life,  but  nothing  can 
dispense  with  Contrition. 

God  only  promises  forgiveness  to  those  who  are  converted 
to  him  with  their  whole  heart,  in  the  tears  and  lamentations 
of  sincere  sorrow,  and  to  those  who  rend  their  hearts,  not 
their  garments.  Contrition,  to  be  genuine,  must  have  four 
characters ;  it  must  be  interior,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  heart, 
and  not  on  the  lips  only  ;  it  is  not  enough  to  read  or  pro- 
uounce  acts  of  Contrition ;  it  is  the  heart  that  has  sinned^ 
and  it  is  the  heart  which  must  be  sorry  and  detest  sin.  Con- 
trition must  be  supernatural ;  it  must  be  excited  by  a  move- 
ment of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  not  by  the  impulse  of  nature ; 
seeing  that  to  detest  sin  because  it  has  given  rise  to  some 
temporal  misfortune,  such  as  punishment,  sickness,  or  loss, 
is  not  a  true  contrition,  or  one  that  entitles  us  to  pardon ; 
repentance  must  be  for  God's  sake,  and  becauso  sin  has 
oftended  him,  and  is  infinitely  displeasing  to  Him.  Contri- 
tion must  be  sovereign,  that  is  to  say,  superior  to  all  other 
sorrow,  so  that  we  may  be  disposed  to  lose  all  rather  than 
fall  again  into  pin.  In  fact,  sin  is  the  greatest  of  all  evils, 
and  deprives  us  of  the  greatest  of  all  goods — the  sovereign 
good ;  we  ought,  then,  to  lament  it  more  than  any  other 
misfortune.  It  is  not,  however,  necessary  tliat  this  grief 
should  be  sensible ;  it  may  exist  in  the  depth  of  the  heart 
without  manifesting  itself  exteriorly,  otherwise  than  by  those 
works  which  are  its  proof  and  its  effect.  Finally,  Contri- 
tion should  be  universal,  that  is  to  say,  extending  over  all 
the  mortal  sin  that  one  has  committed.  There  is  no  true 
Contrition  so  long  as  the  heart  remains  attached  to  evea 
one  mortal  sin,  and  that  because  all  mortal  sin  is  an  injury 
done  to  God,  and  therefore  merits  hell.     There  is  none, 


fS: 


.4,- ;»,.,}■  •, 


•1  •::^-i 


4-.  .»L-.k.i  '':• 


I 


■;■*!;     .   -iT-'i  »•-.  .  . 


242 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


therefore,  that  we  ought  not  to  hate  and  detest  if  we  would 
regain  the  favour  of  God.  This  Contrition  we  can  only  ob- 
tain  by  humble  and  fervent  prayer  to  God.  Of  ourselves, 
we  can  easily  enough  offend  God ;  but  without  his  assist- 
ance we  cannot  repent  as  we  ought.  We  should,  then,  re- 
flect on  the  motives  which  are  proper  to  excite  contrition  iv 
our  hearts.  Let  us  consider  who  it  is  that  we  have  offend 
ed  ; — it  is  our  Creator,  our  Father, — he  who  loads  us  with 
his  gifts,  and  has  redeemed  us  by  his  blood !  What  ingiati. 
tude  is,  then,  ours !  Let  us  consider,  also,  what  we  iiavfc 
lost  by  sin  :  an  eternity  of  bliss  was  reserved  for  us,  and  we 
have  forfeited  our  cllim :  what  a  grievous  loss ! — Let  us 
consider  to  what  sin  exposes  us ;  it  makes  us  deserving  of 
hell, — that  place  of  tears,  of  rage,  and  of  despair,  wherein 
the  fire  is  never  quenched  !  What  a  horrible  destiny ! — Let 
us  consider,  above  all,  what  Christ  has  suffered  for  the  ex- 
piation of  our  sins,  and  to  obtain  for  us  the  grace  of  forgive- 
ness !  It  is  impossible  to  reflect  seriously  on  these  truths 
without  being  moved  to  hatred  for  sin. 

Contrition  is  of  two  sorts :  perfect  and  imperfect,  which 
last  is  also  called  attrition.  Perfect  Contrition  is  a  sorrow 
for  having  offended  God,  because  He  is  supre»Aiely  good  and 
supremely  amiable,  and  that  sin  is  displeasing  to  him ;  its 
motive  is,  then,  the  love  of  God  :  its  effect  is,  also,  to  remit 
sin  of  itself,  provided  it  be  joined  with  the  desire  and  the 
intention  of  confessing,  supposing  it  cannot  be  exactly  at 
that  moment.  Imperfect  Contrition,  or  attrition,  is  a  sorrow 
for  having  offended  God,  caused  by  the  shame  of  having 
sinned,  the  fear  of  receiving  the  punishment  it  deserves,  or 
the  forfeiture  of  eternal  bliss.  Attrition,  not  being  produced 
by  motives  sufficiently  elevated,  cannot  of  itself  remit  sins; 
but  it  suffices,  if  joined  by  absolution,  provided  that  it  in- 
cludes the  hope  of  pardon,  and  the  foundation  of  the  lov^ 
AfGcd. 

Example. — It  is  not  enough  for  Contrition  to  embrace 
the  past,  it  must  also  extend  to  the  future,  by  the frm  pur- 
pose of  sinniirg  no  more.  We  find  in  Magdalen  an  admi- 
rable model  of  Contrition,  supernatural^  interior,  universal, 
and  sovereign.     No  sooner  had  she  learned  that  Jesus  was 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


243 


gttne  house  of  the  Phariaee,  than,  faithful  to  the  suggestion 
of  grace,  she  arose  and  went  to  him  without  delay  ;  she 
was  not  ashamed  to  show  her  repentance,  as  she  had  not 
been  ashamed  to  give  scandal  by  her  sins.  She  enters  the 
place  where  the  people  were  assembled ;  there,  not  daring 
to  stand  before  Jesus  Christ,  she  humbly  prostrates  herself 
at  his  feet,  waters  them  with  her  tears,  and  dries  them  with 
her  beautiful  tresses ;  then  she  pours  upon  them  a  vase  of 
rich  ointment,  thus  making  use,  in  order  to  expiate  her  sins, 
of  all  that  had  formerly  been  instrumental  in  offending  God. 
Eventually,  by  the  liveliness  of  her  sorrow,  and  the  ardor 
of  her  love,  she  won  from  the  lips  of  Christ  these  consoling 
words:  "Many  sins  are  forgiven  her,  because  she  loves 
much  1*  St.  LtUee,  7- 


ARTICLE   III. 


OF   THE    FIRM    PURPOSE. 


We  cannot  obtain  forgiveness  of  sin  if  we  do  not  re- 
nounce it  with  all  our  heart,  and  if  we  be  not  in  that  dispo- 
eition  which  the  holy  King  David  expresses  in  these  words  ; 
"  Yea,  I  have  sworn,  I  will  fulfil  it,  I  will  observe  the  holy 
decrees  of  thy  justice  ! "  God  himself  explains  to  us  in 
the  sacred  Scripture  the  necessity  of  this  Jirm  purpose, 
"Let  the  impious  quit  his  way,  and  the  sinner  his  th'-ughts, 
and  let  him  return  to  the  Lord,  and  I  will  show  him  mercy  !** 
There  is,  then,  no  mercy  for  him  who  renounces  not  sin*. 
God  only  pardons  us  our  sins  in  proportion  as  we  are  sorry 
for  them,  and  when  our  repentance  is  sincere  it  necessarily 
embraces  the  purpose  of  sinning  no  more;  for  would  it  not 
be  mocking  God  to  ask  his  forgiveness  of  a  sin  which  one 
purposed  to  commit  again  ? 

There  are  three  marks  whereby  this  firm  purpose  is  to  be 
recognized  ;  the  first  of  these  is  a  change  of  life.  A  young 
man  was  proud,  impetuous,  passionate,  refractory,  prone  to 
lying,  negligent  in  his  duties,  dissipated  in  his  exercises  of 
piety  ;  he  becomes  mild,  humble,  obedient,  disposed  to  work, 
truthful  in  his  conversation,  collected  in  prayer,  modest 
when  in  the  church ;  here,  then,  is  a  sensible  proof  of  the 


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2U 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


sincerity  of  his  resolution,  and  none  may  doubt  that  he  had 
leaily  a  firm  purpose  of  amendment.  But  he  in  whom  thtre 
IS  seen  no  change  of  conduct,  did  not  really  renounce  sin, 
his  promises  were  only  on  the  lips,  and  not  from  the  heart ; 
it  is  hard  to  believe  that  there  is  real  repentance  whore  no 
improvement  is  visible. 

The  second  mark  is  to  avoid  the  occasions  which  usually 
lead  to  sin  ;  these  are  of  two  kinds :  some,  of  themselves, 
tend  to  sin,  such  as  bad  books,  plays,  balls,  lascivious  songs, 
immodest  pictures,  and  bad  company.  Others  are  only  oc- 
casions of  sin  because  of  the  weakness  and  disposition  of 
the  persons  engaged  in  them ;  such  are  certain  professions 
legitimate  in  themselves,  but  which  give  occasion  for  olTeiicl. 
ing  (yod,  to  those  who  have  not  enough  of  strength  and  of 
understanding  to  fulfil  their  duties.  We  are  obliged  to  shun 
all  su.'h  occasions ;  and  to  remain  voluntarily  in  them,  is  a 
sign  that  one  has  not  a  firm  ourpose  of  amendment.  The 
Holy  Ghost  assures  us  that  he  who  loves  the  danger  shall 
perish  therein.  It  sometimes  costs  much  to  break  off  from 
the  occasions  of  sin ;  but  the  sacrifice  must  be  made,  if  w« 
would  avoid  eternal  destruction.  Such  is  the  meaning  oi 
these  words  of  our  Lord :  "  If  thy  right  eye,  or  thy  rlglu 
hand  be  to  thee  a  cause  of  scandal,  plucK  it  out,  or  cut  u 
off*  and  cast  it  from  thee ;  for  it  is  better  that  one  oi  thv 
members  should  perish,  than  that  thy  whole  bodv  shouM  t»* 
cast  into  hell !"  Which  means  as  this :  "  Even  if  that  whic>' 
leads  you  into  sin  be  as  dear  to  you  as  your  eye  or  hand 
you  must  put  it  away  from  you  if  you  wish  to  be  saved. 

Finally,  the  third  mark  of  a  firm  purpose  is  to  labour  tc- 
destroy  bad  habits;  that  is  to  say,  the  facility  with  vvhicb 
certain  sins  are  committed,  because  of  frequent  repetition 
To  that  end  we  are  to  watch  carefully  over  ourselves,  to 
confess  often,  and  frequently  to  perform  actions  contrary  to 
these  evil  habits.  For  example:  actions  of  mildness  op* 
posed  to  anger,  obedience  to  indocility,  and  to  impose  oil 
ourselves  some  penance  as  often  as  we  have  given  way  to  a 
bad  habit.  But  if  one  makes  no  effort  to  overcome  it,  and 
seeks  not  to  shun  the  occasions  of  relapsing  into  it,  if  his 
relapses  are  as  frequent  as  before,  if  he  is  not  sorry  for  it 
before  God,  and  hastens  not  to  purify  himself  by  confes* 


TOWARDS   OOD. 


*i4a 


sion.,  it  is  a  certain  proof  that  lie  has  not  had  a  Hrm  resolo* 
tiun  to  amend  his  life. 

Example. — In  the  fourth  century,  Sapor,  emperor  of  the 
Persians,  having  become  a  persecutor  of  the  Christians,  or- 
dered all  priests  to  be  beheaded  who  would  not  renounce 
Jesus  Christ.  He  summoned  to  his  presence  the  archbishop 
of  Seleucia,  St.  Simeon,  who  had  the  g,'ieatest  care  of  hia 
flock,  and  was  reputed  as  the  most  staunch  defender  of 
Christianity.  Sapor  exhorted  him  to  adore  the  sun,  making 
him  the  most  magnificent  promises  in  case  he  obeyed,  and 
threiiteiiing  him  if  he  obeyed  not,  that  he  himself  should  be 
put  to  death,  and  all  Christians  expelled  from  the  empire, 
Simeon  replied  :  "  I  cannot  adore  the  sun,  for  by  so  doing 
I  should  betray  my  religion."  The  emperor  had  him  put  in 
prison,  hoping  that  the  hardship  he  was  there  made  to  en- 
dure might  induce  him  to  comply.  As  he  was  conducted 
to  the  prison,  an  old  eunuch  called  Ustazade,  who  was 
steward  of  the  imperial  palace,  was  sensibly  touched  by 
the  sight  of  the  holy  bishop,  and  respectfully  prostrated 
himself  before  him ;  but  the  saint  was  very  far  from  being 
gratified  by  this  mark  of  respect,  and  turned  away  hia 
face  to  let  the  eunuch  see  by  that  sign  of  contempt  how 
guilty  he  was  in  having  adored  the  sun,  and  thereby  re- 
nouncing- Christianity,  for  the  man  had  been  a  Christian. 
This  reproach  which  he  had  so  well  deserved,  was  more 
than  Ustazade  could  bear,  and  he  burst  into  tears.  In  or- 
der  to  expiate  the  criijie  of  his  apostacy,  he  cast  off  the 
white  robe  which  he  wore,,  and  put  on  one  of  black,  in  to- 
ken of  his  repentance  ;  thus  attired,  he  returned  to  the  pa- 
lace, and  ceased  not  to  bemoan  his  misfortune  with  tears 
and  lamentations :  "  Wretch  that  I  am !  what  have  I  then 
to  expect  from  Jesus  Christ,  whom  I  have  had  the  misfor. 
tune  to  renounce,  when  I  am  so  sensible  to  the  contempt 
which  Simeon,  who  is  but  his  minister,  testifies  towards  me 
because  of  my  apostacy  !"  The  emperor,  hearing  that  his 
faithful  eunuch  was  much  afflicted,  wished  to  know  the 
cause  and  sent  for  him.  "  What  has  happened  to  you,** 
said  he.  "Oh!  that  every  misfortune  and  every  disgrace 
had  befallen  me,"  was  the  answer,  "  rather  than  that  which 


h^^a  •i.^r- 
if'  '       '■    ';,»  .-  - 


*  ■ 


ft.-.  •; 


'X'.    . 

•  ■  '". .  •"' 

.''     .  •   '. 

.1 

M'^  • 

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;^*-' 

M^:-;- 

k- 

■1  ■  • 

5  <!•  * 

•  * 

"*  Mr.' 

I'.'-r-   ., 

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f#r-' 

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Wvl 

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f-^-t  ... 

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•  'JL*  .',i     '       '.'  • 

^■^^:,     '■:,:■ 


246 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


^1 


f^M 


•r-:''i*'*f''ir-'.   , 


In  ^.#^i'-'--  ■ 

In    ';.  .•'*W>r v.- ■»•.•'     ■ 

ii^  V  •   i*  *■■**■        , 

ft  y^'%- '  ■'•■ 


has  come  upon  me ;  I  weep  because  I  am  not  dead,  but  am 
still  living  to  behold  that  sun  which  I  have  been  so  unfor- 
tunate as  to  adore,  for  fear  of  displeasing  you  ;  I  am  de- 
serving of  a  double  denth,  one  for  having  betrayed  Jesug 
Christ,  my  adorable  Saviour,  and  the  other  for  having  de- 
ceived you  !"  Ustazade  then  swore,  that  he  would  never  again 
betray  him  whom  he  recognirod  and  adored  as  his  God.  On 
hearing  this,  Sapor  became  furious  and  swore  in  his  turn,  that 
he  would  have  all  the  Christians  in  his  empire  put  to  death ; 
nevertheless,  through  jiity  for  the  old  man,  he  used  every 
means  to  try  to  win  him  over.  "  No,"  said  that  true  peni- 
tent, "  you  shall  never  succeed;  I  will  never  again  \m  such 
a  fool  as  to  pay  to  the  creature  the  supreme  worship  which 
is  due  only  to  the  Creator."  The  emperor  seeing  his  con^ 
stancy,  sentenced  him  to  be  beheaded.  When  the  martyr 
was  on  his  way  to  the  place  of  execution,  he  called  to 
another  eunuch  who  was  his  friend,  and  begged  of  him  to 
go  to  Sapor,  and  beseech  him,  as  the  reward  of  the  many 
years  he  had  so  faithfully  served  him,  that  at  the  moment 
of  his  execution,  a  herald  might  proclaini  to  the  people  that 
Ustazade  had  not  been  condemned  to  death  for  any  crime, 
but  only  that,  being  a  Christian,  he  had  refused  to  betray 
his  God.  Sapor  gave  his  consent,  and  that  the  more  wil- 
lingly  as  he  hoped  it  might  intimidate  the  other  Christians, 
seeing  that  he  showed,  no  mercy  even  to  an  old  man  who 
had  served  him  long  and  faithfully.  Ustazade  showed  that 
he  had  both  true  contrition  and  a  firm  purpose. 

Ecclesiastical  History, 


ARTICLE   IV. 

OF    CONFESSION. 

The  second  part  of  the  sacrament  of  penance  is  confes- 
sion, or  the  accusation  of  one's  sins  to  an  approved  priest, 
in  order  to  obtain  forgiveness. 

Every  priest  receives  at  his  ordination,  the  power  of  re- 
mitting sins ;  but  he  cannot  exercise  it  save  by  virtue  of  a 
particular  mission  from  his  bishop,  who  determines  the 
place  and  the  extent  of  his  jurisdiction. 


*■ 


TOWAHDS    GOV. 


247 


\' 


Any  priest  who  has  not  received  this  commission,  or  who 
exercises  it  without  the  authority  of  his  bishop,  cannot  for* 
give  sins. 

Tiiere  are  also  certain  grievous  crimes  wlfose  remission 
Ih  bishops  reserve  to  themselves,  in  order  to  inspire  uf 
with  greater  horror  of  those  sins,  and  these  are  called  re- 
terved  cases. 

It  is  necessary  to  confess  all  the  mortal  sins  which  one 
has  committed,  even  those  which  are  hidden  in  the  depth  of 
the  heart,  such  as  bad  desires  and  wicked  thouglits,  &c. 
This  obligation  is  an  effect  of  the  power  given  by  Christ  to 
his  disciples,  of  remitting  and  retaining  sins  in  his  name, 
fjr  the  state  of  the  conscienre  cannot  be  known  if  it  be  not 
revealed  to  the  priest  by  tlu>  sinners  themselves. 

Confession  must  be  humble,  sincere,  and  entire.  Humble ^ 
for  the  penitent  should  consider  himself  as  guilty  of  high 
treason  against  tlie  divine  majesty,  as  having  thereby 
merited  eternal  torment,  and  as  prostrating  himself  before 
the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  make  amends  for  the  many 
sins  he  has  committed,  and  to  sue  for  a  pardon  of  which  he 
feels  himself  unworthy,  but  for  which  he  hopes  through  the 
divine  goodness.  Sincere,  tliat  is  to  say,  that  he  must  con- 
fess his  sins  exactly  as  he  knows  them,  without  permitting 
himself  to  lessen  their  greatness  or  enormity  by  studied 
expressions  or  for  want  of  due  examination.  Entire,  for 
he  must  declare  the  number,  the  nature,  and  all  the  consider- 
able circumstances  of  his  sins ;  the  number,  by  stating  as 
nearly  as  possible,  how  many  times  he  has  committed  each 
sin  ;  the  nature,  or  kind,  for  it  is  not  sufficient  to  say  in  a 
general  way  that  he  has  sinned  grievously  ;  but  he  must 
state  in  a  particular  manner  what  sort  of  sin  he  has  commit- 
ted, whether  it  be  theft,  slander,  calumny,  <Scc.  Without 
this  the  confessor  cannot  judge  as  to  the  state  of  the  con- 
science, nor  prescril)e  the  remedies  and  ihe  penance  which 
the  case  requires.  He  must  also  declare  the  principal  cir- 
cumstances, and  these  are  of  two  kinds :  some  change  the 
nature  of  the  sin :  for  instance,  to  rob  a  church  is  not 
merely  a  robbery,  but  a  sacrilege,  which  is  a  much  more 
grievous  sin  than  theft.  Others  only  muke  the  sin  greater, 
without  changing  its  nature :  for  example,  to  steal  from  anj; 


'f\         ^        ..    •     T.  .'  ■'    I 

•  ,.    .  .    .    V  ■    • 

•    '■  fv■^ 

'i'hs    •    •^" 

»^'^•:..      .-■•■■- 

rv-   -■•■'..•  , 

i''^       ■ '  " 

i  '  '  •  - 

■■•.^•■.li-:: 


ii  ;     I, 


*!•;!/?.«• 


i%  '■  if  It 


248 


DVTV    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


1 .    *'i"  ■*  *.'. 


a,  ff  ■WS-Jf  * "'  • 


one  is  a  theft ;  but  to  take  two  or  three  francs  from  a  poot 
^)erson  who  had  but  that  in  tl»o  world,  is  a  much  greater  sin 
than  to  take  a  similar  sum  from  a  rich  man,  so  that  this  it  a 
circMirastance  which  must  be  dechired.  But  in  order  to 
confess  one's  sins  in  a  proper  manner,  he  must  know  them 
exactly :  hence  the  necessity  of  the  examination. 

Example. — The  empress  Jane,  a  princess  adorned  with 
every  virtue,  had  chosen  for  her  director  St.  John  Nepo- 
mucenus,  canon  of  Pragtie.  Wenceslaus,  the  husband  of 
tlie  empress,  was  exceedingly  jealous,  and  put  an  evil  con- 
etructiun  on  the  most  trivial  and  iimocont  actions  of  hi^ 
wife,  whom  he  suspected  of  being  unfaithful  to  him.  One 
day  when  she  had  been  to  confession,  he  went  to  her  con- 
fessor, and  inquired  whether  his  suspicions  were  well- 
founded.  The  saint  replied  that  he  could  not  speak  on 
such  a  subject,  that  the  seal  of  confession  is  inviolable, 
and  that  all  knowledge  obtained  through  confession  is  as 
though  it  were  still  unknown.  The  emperor,  being  exceed- 
ingly angry,  maintained  a  gloomy  silence.  Some  days  after, 
he  had  the  saint  again  brought  before  him ;  he  employed 
caresses,  promises,  and  threats  to  induce  him  to  reveal  what 
the  empress  told  him  in  confession ;  but  all  in  vain  He 
caused  him  to  be  treated  in  the  most  inhuman  manner,  but 
still  he  could  obtain  nothing.  Finally,  he  threatened  him 
with  death,  in  case  he  still  refused  to  comply  with  his 
wishes.  "  You  may  kill  me,"  replied  St.  John  Nepomuce- 
nus,  "  but  you  shall  not  make  me  speak  as  you  would 
wish."  Wenceslaus,  in  a  rage,  ordered  him  to  be  bound 
hands  and  feet,  and  cast  into  the  river.  The  martyr  was 
quickly  smothered  in  the  water,  whereupon  certain  pious 
persons  carried  off  his  body  and  laid  it  in  a  tomb,  where  il 
operated  many  miracles.  Fkllkr,  Diet.  Hist. 


,i  ■ 


ARTICLE    V. 

THE    EXAMINATION    OF   CONSCIENCE. 

Necessity  of  this  examination.     This  necessity  ii 
fiiunded  on  that  of  confessing  all  the  sins  that  one  has  com- 


*. ' 


I  • 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


3^10 


mltt€d ;  for  how  can  they  he  confessed,  if  they  are  moI 
sought  and  discovered  ?  The  Holy  Council  of  Trent  re- 
quires that  we  prepare  ourselves  for  confession  hy  a  dili',«'ni 
investigation.  An  individual  who,  for  want  of  proper  ex 
amination,  omitted  to  confess  any  one  mortal  sin,  would 
not  ohtain  ahsolution  or  remission  of  his  sins  ;  he  woulo 
but  profane  the  sacrament,  and  thereby  commit  a  mortal  sin 

Condition  of  the  examination.  We  must  examine  our 
selves  with  care  and  attention.  For  want  of  this  attention 
there  may  be  sins  left  unseen,  particularly  sins  of  omission 
as  regards  our  duties,  sins  of  habit,  sins  of  speech,  such  as 
too  great  quickness,  or  passion,  sins  of  thought  and  of  slan- 
der, which  easily  become  habitu  1.  We  shouhi  examine 
ourselves  with  the  utmost  severity,  for  otherwise  we  may  re- 
gard as  of  slight  consequence  sins  which  arc  really  consid- 
erable. Of  this  class  are  the  sins  oppose  \  to  th'*  love  of 
our  neighbour,  and  those  wliich  outrage  the  holy  'rtue  of 
purity. 

Happy  are  those  truly  pious  persons  "ho  are  ever  \\\ 
that  excellent  disposition  of  not  committiig  « ven  veniai  sm 
deliberately.  They  have  no  need  of  a  long  examination ; 
if  they  fall  into  any  fault  at  all  serious,  it  is  a  monster  ever 
present  to  their  minds,  and  there  is  but  little  danger  of  their 
forgetting  it  when  they  go  to  confession. 

The  object  of  the  examination  of  conscience.  Persons 
who  seldom  go  to  confession  will  have  much  trouble,  (es- 
pecially if  they  be  not  well-instructed)  in  discovering  the 
sins  which  they  have  committed ;  they  may  make  use,  with 
advantage,  of  the  examination  to  be  found  in  the  prayer- 
books,  and  of  the  devotions  fo  -  confession.  They  will  thus 
discover  the  sins  of  which  ta.\v  are  guilty,  together  with 
their  number  and  circumstances  ;  that  is,  provided  they  do 
really  wish  to  discover  them  ;  beg  God's  assistance  for  that 
purpose,  and  following  a  good  method  in  their  examination, 
they  Will  hearken  to  the  voice  of  conscience. 

When  examining  themselves  for  a  general  confession,  or 
for  one  embracing  several  years,  it  will  be  useful  for  cer- 
tain persons  to  write  down  in  abridgement  the  sins  of  which 
they  find  themselves  guilty  ;  such  persons  will  do  well, 
during  the  course  of  their  investigation,  to  reflect  that  God 


;t;^-fl-.ij>- 


i 


;^CV.2: 4 ,5.4  ■■ 

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it    .  ^  *.  ' 

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'  .;■-  '^ . 

..     i 


250 


DUTY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 


I 


^■iJt. 


is  p  •  sent,  ana  frequentl}'  to  say  to  him,  "  Lord,  give  me  to 
know  tiie  number  and  the  enormity  of  my  sins ;  and  grant 
me,  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  grace  to  confess 
them  entirely,  and  to  detest  them  as  I  ought.  After  the 
examination,  they  should  excite  themselves  to  contrition, 
and  vi^hen  they  find  themselves  moved  with  sorrow  for  their 
sins,  the}  ought  to  make  frequent  acts  of  contrition.  It  is 
useful  at  that  time  to  repeat  very  slowly  and  with  much 
attention,  "  I  confess  to  Almighty  God,"  &c. 

Example. — A  person  who  desired  to  commence  a  regu- 
lar  course  of  life,  made  a  retreat,  during  which  she  wrote 
down  her  general  confession  ;  and,  at  a  moment  when  she 
had  just  been  meditating  on  hell,  and  was  still  penetrated 
by  the  salutary  thought  of  the  eternal  torments,  she  cast 
her  eyes  on  the  paper  whereon  she  had  written  her  sins. 
On  seeing  there  the  sins  of  all  her  past  life,  her  fear  was 
re-doubled,  and  she  took  the  paper,  saying :  "  Alas !  what 
fuel  for  the  eternal  fire  ?  Are  there  no  means  of  having  it 
quenched  ?"  This  reflection  made  her  resolve  to  renounce 
for  ever  the  frivolities  of  the  world,  and  to  lead  a  retired 
and  edifying  life. 


iW/.Vlw  »f\tr, T-ii'l-^r f^ 

n  'I  *-^#''-'  •I 


•  ■alt      '-^  .■  r..     •  Ot- 


ARTICLE   VI. 

OF   SACRILEGIOUS    CONFESSION. 

To  RECEIVE  absolution  without  the  necessary  disposi- 
tions,  is  not  only  to  render  it  null  and  void,  but  it  is  also 
committing  a  new  sin,  which  is  nothing  less  than  a  sacri- 
lege, since  it  profanes  a  sacrament.  Then,  instead  of  ap- 
peasing the  wrath  of  God  one  does  but  outrage  him,  and 
trample  under  foot  the  adorable  blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
which,  falling  on  an  unworthy  object,  is  profaned  in  a  more 
criminal  manner  than  when  the  Jews  shed  it  on  the  cross . 
the  remedy  prepared  for  the  cure  of  our  souls  is  thus  per- 
verted into  a  poison.  And  yet  how  many  young  people 
are  guilty  of  this  crime !  What  then  are  the  causes  of  so 
deplorable  a  misfortune  ?  In  many  cases,  it  is  the  shame 
•i'  confessing  certain  faults.     The  devil,  that  spirit  of  ma- 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


851 


Gee  and  falsehood,  diminishes  in  their  eyes  the  horror  of 
thp  sin  before  it  is  committed,  but  shows  it  to  them  in  all 
its  deformity  when  they  would  confess  it.  Nothing  is  more 
unfounded  than  this  false  shame.  The  confessor  is  bound 
by  all  laws,  human  and  divine,  to  observe  the  most  inviolable 
Becrecy  ;  and  hence  to  disclose  one's  sins  to  him  is  as  il 
they  were  never  revealed  to  any  one.  Once  out  of  the  sa- 
cred tribunal,  he  can  make  no  use  of  what  has  been  con- 
fessed to  him;  there  is  no  reason  to  apprehend  frem  him 
either  insult  or  reproach ;  it  is  charity  and  Christian  meek- 
ness which  dictate  to  him  the  advice  he  will  give  you. 
Besides,  he  to  whom  you  confess  your  sins  is  not  an  angel ; 
he  is  a  man  like  yourself,  exposed  to  your  own  weakness 
and  infirmity,  and  therefore  disposed  to  have  compassion 
on  yours  ;  he  is  a  faithful  friend  who  desires  only  your  cure 
and  your  return  to  virtue ;  he  is  a  tender  father  who  will 
be  touched  by  the  confidence  you  place  in  him,  and  whose 
whole  care  will  be  to  aid  and  assist  you  in  your  pressing 
necessity.  Say,  would  you  let  shame  prevent  you  from  ac- 
quainting a  doctor  with  any  secret  malady  or  disease  you 
might  have,  especially  if  death  were  to  be  feared  from  kv.ep- 
ing  it  concealed  ?  Does  not  the  love  of  life  overcome  all 
repugnance  in  such  cases  ?  Why  then  yield  to  shame  when 
the  soul  is  mortally  wounded  ?  Why  not  have  courage  to 
revealit  to  him  who  can  apply  a  saving  remedy  ?  More- 
over,  what  is  there  to  be  gained  by  now  concealing  sins 
from  one's  confessor  ?  Can  they  be  concealed  from  God  i 
Must  they  not  be  confessed  sooner  or  later,  in  order  to 
escape  eternal  death,  and  if  we  would  not  behold  these 
same  sins  revealed  before  the  entire  world?  There  are 
others  whom  the  fear  of  not  being  permitted  to  make  their 
first  communion,  or  their  paschal  communion,  hinders  from 
confessing  all  their  sins ;  but  nothing  is  more  senseless  than 
to  profane  two  sacraments  rather  than  be  kept  back  from 
the  first  communion  or  the  Easter  duty.  Of  those  penitents 
who  thus  receive  absolution  without  the  requisite  disposi- 
tions,  some  take  that  apparent  remission  for  a  real  forgive- 
ness ;  they  think  no  more  of  repenting  for  those  sins,  con- 
sequently profane  all  the  sacraments  they  afterwards  re- 
ceive, and  generally  die  in  a  state  of  impenitence.     Others 


■Mfc.     „)  J. 


v.*i  ':.\^  -  '•':■■ 

It'  A..*    '•  '':'*•'■ 

f'  .*'*     .■■.-.,.. 

!*«■.  ■•■•    .\     .-.  •■ 
I't ..  ."'■--       '■■. '  .' 


*>'^ 


my.'---: 


1^  ■ 


t^''- 


25'^ 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTlAIt 


u^.-'A . 


reproaching  themselves  all  their  lives  for  a  crime  so  enor 
mous,  are  exposed  to  the  most  fearful  despair,  or  become 
callous  in  iniquity,  and  persevere  therein  till  death.  "  Go 
in  peace,"  said  the  minister  of  Christ,  to  these  false  peni- 
tents. But  God  said  to  them :  "  Go  with  my  malediction !" 
The  only  remedy  for  so  great  an  evil  is  a  general  confes- 
sion made  virith  all  the  necessary  dispositions.  He,  on  the 
contrary,  who  has  freely  opened  his  heart  to  his  confessor, 
and  who  has  availed  himself  of  the  time  for  proving  him- 
self, is  well  recompensed  for  the  slight  inconvenience  to 
which  he  submitted  ;  if  he  was  put  off  for  a  time,  that  delay 
was  short ;  it  was  soon  got  over,  and  the  result  is  the  tes- 
timony of  a  good  conscience ;  he  believes  that  his  com- 
munion was  >yell  made;  peace  reigns  in  his  heart,  and 
during  his  whole  life  he  will  bless  the  happy  moment  when 
he  obtained  a  victory  over  himself  which  ensures  to  him  a 
sweet  tranquillity  on  earth,  and  eternal  happiness  in  the 
world  to  come. 

Examples. — "  Take  care  of  rendering  yourself  guilty  of 
ihe  blood  of  Jesus  Christ !"  said  a  servant  of  God  to  himself, 
whon  fearful  of  profaning  that  precious  blood.  "  That  blood 
is  of  great  value, — it  is  the  blood  of  the  Just  and  Holy  One; 
it  is  the  blood  of  a  God  by  reason  of  his  intimate  union  with 
the  divinity.  That  adorable  blood  was  shed  for  my  redemp- 
tion. It  is  for  my  use.  I  can  avail  myself  of  it  in  tlse 
sacred  tribunal  to  cleanse  away  my  sins,  and  at  the  table  of 
the  Lord  for  the  nourishment  of  my  soul ;  bat  what  a  mon- 
ster of  ingratitude  I  should  be  if  I  treated  it  like  him  who 
would  trample  upon  it  by  making  a  confession  without  sin- 
cerity or  without  true  contrition,  and  then  communicating 
in  the  state  of  sin  !  Oh  !  how  well  he  deserves  hell  who  is 
guilty  of  such  a  crime ! — Oh,  my  Saviour,  added  he,  "  never 
let  me  become  guilty  of  your  blood ! — ah!  death  rather  than 
that — aye,  a  thousand  deaths !"  Lasausse. 

During  the  fortnight  of  the  Paschal  term,  a  priest  gave  to 
H  minister  a  considerable  sum  which  he  never  thought  of 
expecting,  being  money  received  in  restitution.  When  op- 
portunity offered,  the  minister  could  not  help  saying :  "  Well, 


TOWARDS    ROD. 


358 


after  all,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  confession  is  a  very 
good  thing !" 

St  Augustine  has  had  the  courage  to  write  his  confession ; 
and  published  his  eiTors  and  his  disorders  in  order  to  make 
known  the  great  mercy  which  God  had  shown  him  in  par- 
doning so  many  crimes.  His  humility  and  heroism  in  thus 
unveiling  his  iniquities  drew  down  upon  him  such  abundant 
blessings  that  he  became  a  great  saint. 


-J     •  ' 


\»AUSSK. 


ARTICLE    VII. 

ON   THE    MANNER    OF    CONFESSING. 

Wb  kneel  during  our  confession,  in  order  to  express  by 
that  humiliating  posture,  that  we  are  confused  and  penetra- 
ted with  grief  for  having  offended  God,  whose  minister  we 
recognize  in  our  confessor.  We  are,  at  the  same  time,  to 
humble  ourselves  internally,  and  endeavour  to  excite  in  our 
selves  a  sincere  sorrow  for  our  sins. 

We  give  to  the  priest  the  name  of  Father,  saying :  "  Bless 
me,  father !"  Your  confessor  is  the  father  of  your  soul ;  his 
office  in  the  sacred  tribunal  is  that  of  establishing  Jesus 
Christ  in  your  heart,  of  reviving  in  your  soul  the  life  of 
grace,  if  unhappily  you  had  lost  it,  or  to  strengthen  it  within 
you  if  you  are  still  living  in  the  sight  of  God  by  justice. 
Regard  him  as  a  tender  father  who  is  really  zealous  for 
your  salvation ;  if  he  be  your  spiritual  father  you  ought  to 
honour  him,  to  have  great  confidence  in  him,  and  to  be  dis- 
posed to  obey  him. 

"  Bless  me,  father !  for  I  have  sinned  \" 

It  is  not  because  of  having  sinned  that  we  deserve  to  be 
blessed,  for  by  sinning  we  rendered  ourselves  unworthy  of 
being  blessed  by  God  through  the  medium  of  his  minister. 
These  words  signify  :  "  Obtain  for  me,  father,  the  grace  of 
conversion,  and  that  of  receiving  absolution,  being  well  dis- 
posed, for  that,  having  had  the  misfortune  to  sin,  I  repent 
with  all  my  heart." 

The  Confiteor  is  an  excellent  form  for  the  act  of  Contrition; 
while  repeating  it  we  are  to  enter  into  the  meaning  of  the 
words  it  contains.     We  thereby,  in  a  general  way,  confess 

22 


■l:X- 


m.:i: 


!■■'»■. 


'  r»*. 


."'.'■1.  ■ 


V" 


:i>*- 


.-V,   t.  **\     . 


254 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


our  sins  to  God,  to  Mary,  to  St.  Michael,  to  the  holy  apos- 
tles, Peter  and  Paul,  and  to  all  the  saints,  acknowledging 
our  elves  guilty,  most  guilty,  and  confessing  that  the  sins 
which  defile  our  soul  are  purely  our  own  fault ;  we  then  re- 
commend ourselves  to  the  mercy  of  God,  and  invoke  thi- 
saints  to  the  end  that  their  intercession  may  obtain  it  for  us. 
It  is  after  this  general  avowal  that  we  make  our  detailed 
cohfessuon  to  the  minister  of  God.  We  ought  previously  t» 
meation  how  long  it  is  since  our  last  confession, — whetliei 
we  then  received  absolution,  and  whether  we  religiously 
and  exactly  performed  the  sacramental  penance  which  had 
been  imposed  upon  us. 

In  confessing  our  sins,  we  are  to  bear  in  mind  that  we  do 
so  in  presence  of  our  Judge,  and  are  therefore  to  speak  in  a 
tone  of  humility,  denoting  that  we  are  sensible  of  having 
offended  God,  and  are  sincerely  sorry  for  our  offences. 

After  having  made  a  sincere  confession  of  our  sins  to  the 
priest,  we  are  to  say  to  him  that  we  beg  God's  pardon  of 
them.  He  who,  in  the  sacred  tribunal,  has  not  a  true  sor- 
row for  his  sins,  does  but  lie  to  God  in  the  person  of  his 
minister,  by  saying  that  he  begs  God's  pardon ;  and  lying 
to  God,  is  it  not  mocking  him? 

VVe  ask  of  the  minister  of  the  Lord,  to  whom  we  have 
confessed  our  sins,  two  things,  penance  and  absolution.  By 
asking  a  penance  of  him,  the  penitent  prays  that  he  may 
order  him  to  say  or  do  something  to  punish  himself  for  tlie 
sins  he  has  confessed,  and  to  preserve  him  from  falling  again 
into  similar  faults.  He  knows,  or  ought  to  know  that  all 
iniquity,  without  exception,  must  be  punished  either  in  this 
world  or  the  other ;  here  by  the  sinner  himself,  or  hereitfier 
by  an  avenging  God. 

By  asking  absolution  he  acknowledges  that  the  pi^«st  has 
received  from  Christ  the  divine  power  of  remitting  siiis;  he 
prays  him  to  grunt  liiin  that  inestimable  favour,  but  iiddh ; 
"  If  you  judge  me  worthy,"  and  then  proceeds  to  finish  the 
Cmjiteor.  By  the  institution  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  confessor 
\6  established  as  judge  ;  he  is  obliged  to  follow  the  rules  of 
Christian  and  rational  prudence,  and  can  never,  without 
betraying  his  ministry,  pronounce  a  favourable  sentence  whea 
he  has  reason  to  think  that  it  wiil  not  be  ratified  by  God; 


oly  apofr- 

wledgin^ 
t  the  siiiK 
9  then  re- 
ivoke  thi- 
i  it  for  us. 
r  detiiileo 
viously  t» 
— whethei 
eligiousl_y 
k^hich  had 

lat  we  do 
peak  in  a 
of  having 
ices. 

ins  to  the 
)ardon  of 
true  sor- 
on  of  his 
and  lying 

1  we  have 
tion.  By 
it  he  may 
elf  for  tlie 
ling  again 
iw  that  all 
her  in  this 
•  hereafter 

pi 'fist  has 
T  siiiS ;  he 

but  iiddh ; 

jBiiish  the 

conlessor 
le  rules  of 
r,  without 
enco  whea 
ibjGod; 


TOWARDS  GOD.  255 

that  leniency,  that  criminal  indulgence  of  his  would  not  ex- 
onerate  the  penitent,  and  would  criminate  the  confessor 
himself,  as  St,  Ambrose  said.  An  absolution  given  to  a 
sinner  who  is  not  properly  disposed,  is  not  merely  of  no 
avail  to  him,  but  it  renders  him  still  more  guilty ;  it  often 
becomes  the  seal  of  his  reprobation,  and  the  true  cause  of 
bis  destruction. 

ExA3iPLE. — A  certam  person  who  had  the  name  of  being 
pious,  was,  nevertheless,  too  confident  of  herself,  and  did 
not  apply  often  enough  to  God ;  she  had  the  weakness  to 
fall  into  one  of  those  sins,  the  confession  of  which  costs  so 
much  to  persons  who  blush  at  the  very  mention  of  sins  con- 
trary to  purity.  No  sooner  had  she  sinned  than  she  repented. 
"  Whatever  it  costs  me,"  said  she,  "  I  will  go  straight  and 
confess  it,  and  lay  open  the  depth  of  my  heart."  8he  set 
out  on  the  instant,  but  as  she  was  going,  it  seemed  to  her 
that  she  heard  the  devil  asking  her,  "  Where  are  you  going  ?" 
to  which  she  courageously  replied :  "  1  am  going  to  cover 
myself  with  confusior,  and  confound  you."  When  one  has 
had  the  courage  to  declare  in  confession  a  sin  whose  avowal 
they  find  difficult,  he  feels  immediately  after  like  one  who 
has  succeeded  in  casting'  off  a  heavy  burden.      Lasausbf 


ARTICLE   VIII. 


OF    SATISFACTION. 


Satisfaction,  which  is  the  third  part  of  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance,  is  a  reparation  of  the  injury  done  to  God  and  our 
neighbour.  To  satisfy  God  for  cur  sins  is  to  do  or  to  suffer 
something  in  order  to  apjjease  his  wrath  excited  by  those 
sins,  or  to  repair  the  damage  done  to  our  neighbour.  Satis- 
faction,  cA  least,  the  acceptation  of  our  penanco  and  thg 
desire  of  performing  it,  h  absolutely  necessary  for  obtain- 
ing through  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  the  remission  of  sin: 
when  one  has  no  intention  of  satisfying  God,  he  cannot 
obtain  the  remission  of  his  sins.  It  is  God  who  remits 
them,  and  he  alone  is  master  of  the  conditions  on  which  he 
will  graut  forgiveness.     In  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  he 


tfi 


, '%''.':'  "«. 


iibQ 


DUTY   OP   THE    CHBlfcTIAN 


■  ■/• 


dispenses  with  Satisfaction  ;  hence  the  ministers  of  the 
Churcii  impose  no  penance  on  those  whom  they  baptize,  what 
sins  soever  they  may  have  previously  committed.  It  is  not 
the  same  in  the  Sacrament  of  Ptnance.  God,  by  the  mouth 
of  the  priest,  remits  tlie  eternal  pi^sushment  if  ihe  penitent 
have  tli«3  necessary  disposition*,  Ij'i 


there  usua.iy  remains 


a  temporal  penalty  to  ho  unO(  rgone.  i  ^^a  jte  ,f^"iCe  given 
by  the  confessor  must  therefore  be  punctualiy  cU'c  jmplished, 
and  we  ought  besides  to  practi.;  j  other  good  works  with 
the  intention  of  satisfying  the  justice  of  God. 

They  who  die  without  having  i:ndergonp  thi  temporal 
punishmer.t,  have  it  to  usulenro  in  the  other  worlii,  and  must 
finish  in  purgatory  the  expiation  of  th-^h  sins.  In  fact,  it 
agrees  with  the  justice  of  God  that  tho^ :>  who  have  abused 
the  first  jrrace  received  in  baptism,  aiid  violated  the  promises 
iisen  tnide,  should  have  so!ne  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  re- 
eonciliiition  ;  and  that  they  who  have  dishonoured  the  glo- 
riouF  titles  of  child  of  God,  member  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  woo  have  treated  as  a  profane 
thing  the  adorable  blood  by  v/hich  they  had  been  sanctified, 
and  who  have  besides  outraged  the  Spirit  of  Grace,  that 
tliey  should  not  be  so  easily  pardoned  as  those  who  have 
not  been  baptized,  and  whose  sins,  committed  principally 
through  ignorance,  bear  not  the  same  character  of  ingrati- 
tude. Besides,  the  mercy  of  God  arranges  it  so  that  from 
the  very  punishment  which  the  penitent  sinner  undergoes, 
he  derives  a  positive  advantage  :  it  becomes  a  restraint  on 
his  passions,  and  a  remedy  for  his  bad  habits ;  for  the  satis- 
faction imposed  by  the  confessor  should  be  not  only  adapted 
to  expiate  past  sins,  but  also  to  eradicate  the  vice  from  which 
they  sprang ;  so  for  pride  he  should  impose  humiliation, 
for  avarice  or  covetousness,  alms,  fasting  for  intemperance, 
and  mortification  of  the  senses  for  impurity  ;  and  these 
penances  should,  moreover,  be  proportioned  to  the  sina 
committed,  that  is  to  say,  they  should  be  greater  or  less 
according  to  the  magnitude  and  number  of  the  sins. 

The  works  of  penance  are  principally  those  which  are 
prescribed  by  the  priest,  the  most  usual  are  prayer,  fasting, 
and  alms-deeds.  By  prayer  is  meant  all  the  acts  of  reh« 
gion,  such  as  pious  reading,  and  assiduity  at  the  divine 


TOWARDS    (*0D. 


257 


offices ;  by  fasting,  all  that  mortifies  the  senses ;  and  alnijs« 
deeds  comprise  all  the  temporal  and  spiritual  assistance 
given  to  our  neighbour.  God  will  also  accept  in  satisfac- 
tion all  the  afflictions  which  befall  us,  such  as  sickness,  in 
juries,  and  pergecutions ;  but  in  order  that  all  these  may 
have  a  value  before  God,  they  must  be  borne  in  a  spirit  of 
penance,  uniting  them  to  the  sufferings  and  satisfaction  of 
Christ,  through  which  alone  we  can  merit  or  satisfy  ;  it  is 
Jesus  Christ,  alone  who  gives  to  our  actions  all  their  merit 
and  value ;  it  is  He  who  presents  them  to  God,  and  it  is  on 
his  account  that  they  are  accepted  by  his  Father. 

We  are  also  bound  to  satisfy  our  neighbour  when  we 
have  injured  him  in  any  way,  whether  in  his  honour  by 
slander  and  calumny,  in  his  goods  by  theft,  or  any  other 
species  of  damage,  or  in  his  person  by  any  bad  treatment. 
We  can  only  obtain  from  God  the  pardon  of  our  sins  by 
being  reconciled  with  our  neighbour  if  we  have  in  any  way 
injured  him,  by  repairing  his  honour  if  we  have  blackened 
his  reputation,  and  by  restoring  to  him  what  we  have  takeu 
from  him,  and  repairing  any  damage  we  have  done  him. 

Example. — We  have  seen  a  St.  Paul  the  first  hermit,  a 
St.  Anthony,  a  St.  Mary  of  Egypt,  and  many  others  who 
followed  their  example,  renouncing  all  that  they  possessed 
on  earth,  to  bury  themselves  in  dreary  deserts,  covering 
themselves  with  hair-cloth,  and  living  on  wild  roots.  And 
all  this  was  done  to  satisfy  the  justice  of  God. 

Lasausse, 


ARTICLE    IX. 

OF   INDULGENCES. 

Indulgence  is  the  remission  of  the  temporal  punishment 
due  to  sins  already  remitted  as  to  their  eternal  punishment 
Whence  it  follows  that  Indulgence  discharges  entirely  or  ii 
part,  not  only  from  the  temporal  chastisement  due  to  sin 
nccording  to  the  rigor  of  the  ancient  canons,  but  even  fron 
the  debt  which  the  smner  owes  to  the  divine  justice  on  ac- 
count of  his  sins,  and  which  must  be  paid  either  in  this  life 


f<T:-  f'ji'*\  ■-■■ 

;h*-,  ■  '^  .  ■    •      ■       ■  -.*^' 

'ff-:  ^-       ,     ■.      ' 
i-v,  .. .  ■    i      ....... 


■,ny 


;^:v-. 


lyt 


'«■'■  > 
»«.. 


'F.w  ■  •■■■* 


■  ft 


*  . 


'»>^  "«•    *',.■,■  ■ 

■r4;.     v»  ., 
V    ;  -■'.       •  ■ 


;* 


.'<■■' 


\-4 


if-.  «...       I  fm 


'it    h^M   "'A^'  My."  ■  ";'    ■ 

i 


258 


DUTY  OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 


or  tlie  other  ;  here,  by  works  of  satisfacticn,  oi  hereafter  by 
the  pnins  of  purgatory. 

Indulgence,  therefore,  neither  remits  sin  nor  its  eternal 
punishment,  but  merely  the  temporary  punishment  whioh 
usually  remains  to  be  endured,  although  the  rtain  of  the  sin 
has  been  effaced  by  the  S.acrament  of  Penaace ;  it  either 
lessens  the  rigor  of  that  temporary  punishment  or  abridges 
its  duration 

Formerly  there  was  imposed  for  certain  sins  a  public 
penance  of  several  years'  duration :  and  in  all  that  time  the 
sinner  had  to  pray  much  and  often, — pass  the  days  in 
mourning,  and  the  nights  in  watching  and  in  tears, — to  lie 
on  a  hard  couch,  to  fast,  give  alms,  and  practise  other  good 
works.  Vlthough  the  ancient  discipline  is  now  laid  aside, 
yet  the  justice  of  God  is  still  the  same,  and  sin  is  slill  as 
deserving  of  punishment  as  it  was  in  the  primitive  agts.  It 
is  to  supply  the  deficiency  of  our  satisfaction  that  the  Church, 
ever  animated  and  guided  by  the  spirit  of  God,  grants  indul- 
gences. Christ  has  given  that  power  to  his  Church  in  the 
person  of  the  Apostles,  when  he  said  to  them :  "  Whatso- 
ever ye  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and  what- 
soever ye  unloose  on  earth  shall  be  unloosed  in  heaven.'' 
She  has,  therefore,  power  to  impose  penalties  for  the  expia- 
tion of  our  sins,  and  also  that  of  remitting  those  penalties 
when  it  is  consistent,  with  the  glory  of  God  and  the  spiritual 
good  of  her  children.  The  Church,  in  the  early  ages,  had 
respect  to  the  recommendation  of  the  martyrs,  and  yielding 
to  their  prayers,  she  treated  with  indulgence,  those  sinners 
for  whom  they  interfered.  She  also  abridged  the  time  of 
penance,  in  favour  of  those  who  had  commenced  it  with 
courage  and  firmness,  when  they  were  threatened  with  per 
secution,  in  order  to  strengthen  them  and  enable  them  to 
resist  the  violence  of  tl'^  persecutors.  It  is  by  the  super 
abundant  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and 
the  Saints,  that  she  acquits  her  children  of  what  they  owe 
to  the  divine  justice. 

Indulgences  have  been  called  by  the  holy  fathers,  relaxa- 
lions,  remissions,  absolutions,  peace,  and  reconciliations. 

They  are  of  three  sorts :  plenary  indulgences,  partial  in- 
dulgences and  jubilees. 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


25B 


'h 


eternal 

whioh 

r  tlie  sitj 

t  eitlier 

ihi'id<>-es 


sinners 


A  plenary  iriHuljjjence  is  the  general  remission  of  the  tem- 
poral punishment  duo  tor  all  our  sins. 

A  partial  indulgence  is  the  remission  of  only  a  portion  of 
that  punishuient  according  to  the  intention  of  the  giver  and 
the  disposition  of  him  who  receives  it. 

A  jubilee  is  an  extra  ■  ienary  ir'dulgence  granted  by  the 
Pope  to  all  tne  faithful. 

The  jubilee  was  first  fixed  for  every  century  ;  but  now  it 
occurs  every  twenty-five  years,  besides  that  which  usually 
follows  the  accession  of  each  supreme  Pontiff. 

'J'he  Pope,  being  the  head  of  all  the  Church,  can  grant 
indulgences  to  all ;  and  his  power  being  unlimited,  he  may 
gii'6  them  plenary  or  partial,  according  as  he  thinks  proper 
and  useful  for  the  advantage  of  the  faithful. 

Bishops  may  also,  in  certain  cases,  grant  several  days  of 
indulgence. 

Plenary,  or  partial  indulgences  are  gained  by  reciting 
certain  prayers,  and  by  performing  works  of  piety  to  which 
they  are  attached. 

We  must  not  imagine  that  indulgences  free  us  from  the 
obligation  of  doing  penance,  and  that  it  suflices  to  have  the 
intention  of  gaining  them,  in  order  to  be  dispensed  from 
works  of  penance ;  on  the  contrary,  indulgences  always 
suppose  that  one  has  performed  a  part  of  his  penance,  or 
is  really  disposed  to  perform  it  if  he  have  time  and  strength, 
since  the  Church  grants  them  only  to  remit  whatever  is 
wanting  in  -the  penance  that  should  have  been  done,  rather 
tlian  entirely  dispensing  with  it.  It  is,  doubtless,  for  the 
same  reason  that  the  Council  of  Trent  declares  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  ancient  and  approved  custom  of  the  Church,  they 
ought  only  to  be  granted  with  reserve  and  in  moderation, 
and  that  those  who  wish  to  gain  them  must  do  so  by  prayer, 
by  alms-deeds,  and  usually  by  fasting  and  other  good 
works. 

Example. — A  certain  pious  person  who  had  in  her  youth 
committed  many  serious  faults,  was  wont  to  repeat  all  the 
different  prayers  to  which  the  sovereign  pontiffs  have  at- 
tached indulgences.  Every  day  she  also  condemned  her- 
self to  some  mortifications,  giving  alms  in   proportion  to 


tf-^:i: 


t 


pi, 

•■■'■7.    ■! 

'K. 

*             '•' 

^.r*:- 


P: 

■'i: 

• .   •      . 

•  '*? 
•'1 ' 

ftf- 


''M.' 


yy.V':, 


260 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAIf 


lier  means,  and  often  repeating  these  beautiful  worda . 
"  Lord !  h.'ive  mercy  on  me  now — every  moment  of  my  life, 
and  particularly  at  the  hour  of  my  death  ;  this  I  beg  of  yon 
throu/jh  the  merits  of  Josus  Christ,  and  through  the  inter, 
cession  of  Mary,  the  angels,  and  saints.  I  offer  thee  in  the 
spirit  of  penance  all  that  I  may  have  to  suffer,  and  I  will 
not  gratify  myself  in  any  way  whatsoever !"  When  it  was 
represented  to  her  that  the  mortified  life  she  led  would  cer- 
tainly  shorten  her  existence,  she  replied  :  "  I  must  suffer  a 
little  in  this  life,  fearing  lest  I  should  have  much  to  suffer 
in  tliat  which  la  to  come  !  " 

Explanation  of  the  Imperial  Catechism. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ON    THE    SACRAMENT    OF   THE    EUCHARIST. 


ARTICLE    I. 

INSTITUTION    OF    THE     EUCHARIST. TRAN8UBSTANTIATI0N. 

The  Eucharist  is  a  sacrament  which  really  and  truly 
contains  the  body,  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity  of  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine ;  it  is  the 
greatest  and  most  august  of  all  the  sacraments.  In  fact, 
the  other  sacraments  give  us  grace,  while  the  Eucharist 
gives  us  the  Author  of  grace,  God  himself.  Through  it, 
Jesus  Christ  dwells  in  us,  and  we  in  him.  It  had  been 
promised  by  Our  Lord,  long  before  the  time  when  he  insti- 
tuted it,  as  we  read  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of 
St.  John,  After  having  said  to  the  Jews  :  "  I  am  the  living 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven,"  Our  Saviour  added : 
"  The  bread  which  I  will  give  is  my  flesh  for  the  life  of  the 
world."  And  as  the  Jews  murmured  at  this  saying,  he  re- 
peated it  again,  and  still  more  forcibly,  saying :  "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  if  you  do  not  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
Son  of  man,  and  drink  his  blood,  you  shall  have  no  Hfe  in 
you ;  he  who  eateth  my  flesli,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  shall 
abide  in  me,  and  I  in  hira."     This  promise  he  fulfilled  on 


*  ^ « 


VTIATION. 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


261 


(he  eve  of  his  paBsion,  when  at  the  last  Supper  he  nte  th# 
jmschal  lamb  with  his  disciples.  Ho  took  broad,  and  after 
returning  thanks  to  hJM  Father,  he  broke,  and  gave  it  to  h« 
disciples,  saying :  "  Take  ye  and  eat ;  this  is  my  body 
which  shall  be  delivered  for  you ;  do  this  in  remembrantj* 
of  me."  Then,  taking  the  chalice,  he  said :  "  Drink  ye  tat 
of  this,  for  this  is  ray  blood,  the  blood  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, which  shall  be  shed  for  you  and  for  many  unto  ihtt 
remission  of  sin :  as  often  as  ye  do  this,  do  it  in  remeo*- 
hrance  of  me." 

The  substance  of  bread  and  wine  which  we  see  amf 
taste,  is  the  sensible  sign  when^by  we  know  the  invisible 
effect  of  the  Eucharis*  ?  it  signmes  that  the  body  and  bloon 
of  Christ  are  the  spiritual  food  of  our  souls,  as  bread  anr* 
wine  are  the  nourishment  of  our  bodies  ;  but  although  theft** 
appearances,  as  to  colour,  form,  and  taste,  remain  the  sara« 
after  consecration,  yet  they  are  no  longyr  bread  and  wine 
the  substance  of  the  bread  being  changed  into  that  ot  tb«» 
body  of  Christ,  and  the  substance  of  the  wine  Into  that  of 
his  blood ;  so  that  it  then  becomes  the  same  body  which 
was  fastened  to  the  cross,  and  is  now  in  heaven.  And 
although  we  do  not  see  the  body  of  Christ,  but  only  the 
form  of  bread,  yet  it  is  really  and  substantially  there  :  we 
perceive  the  appearance  of  bread  which  is  no  longer  the 
real  substance,  and  we  do  not  see  the  biWy  of  Christ  which 
it  really  has  become.  As  it  is  a  living  and  animated  body, 
it  follows  that  Jesus  Christ  is  entirely  contained  under  each 
of  the  two  forms,  and  in  every  particle  thereof:  under  the 
form  of  bread,  the  body  of  Christ  is  united  to  his  blood, 
Boul,  and  divinity,  and  under  the  form  of  wine  his  blood  is 
united  to  his  body,  his  soul  and  hir>  divinity ;  for,  now  that 
Christ  is,  glorious  and  immortal,  he  can  no  longer  be  di- 
vided :  his  blood  cannot  be  separated  from  his  body.  We, 
therefore,  receive  as  much  by  communicating  under  one 
single  form,  as  if  we  communicated  in  both. 

This  wonderful  change  is  effected  through  the  omnipo- 
tence of  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  the  priest  pro- 
nounces  in  his  name.  It  is  Christ  himself  who  works  all 
these  marvels  through  the  organ  of  his  ministers ;  to  him 
who  of  old  changed  water  into  w»re  at  the  wedding  of 


«« 


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r- 


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■  "  ^ . ..  • 


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203 


DUTY    or    TUB    CK"l)i  'TIA'V 


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Chanaan  ;  to  him  who  of  nothing  has  made  the  heaveni 
and  the  earth,  it  is  just  as  easy  to  chango  ono  8ii)>stanc€) 
into  another,  as  to  draw  all  things  from  nothing  by  his  word 
alone.  It  is  true  we  cannot  comprehend  how  tlioso  won- 
dot's  are  operated,  but  we  know  that  nothing  is  impossible 
to  God,  and  we  believe  on  the  word  of  Jesus  Clirist,  who 
has  loved  us  so  much  as  to  operate  in  our  favour  things 
that  surpass  our  understanding.  God  is  able  to  work  this 
miracle,  for  He  is  Almighty  ;  and  that  he  does  it  wo  cannot 
doubt,  since  he  assures  us  that  it  is  his  body.  We  ought 
tlien  to  hear  his  words  with  docility  and  respect,  and  not 
attempt  to  reason  on  a  thing  which  is  beyond  our  compre- 
hension, nor  seek  the  natural  order  of  things  in  that  which 
is  a])ove  nature.  Let  us  believe  then,  on  the  word  of  our 
God,  who  is  really  present  in  the  Eucharist ;  let  us  believe, 
notwithstanding  the  counter-evidence  of  our  sensep,  that 
the  bread  and  wine  are  substantially  changed ;  when  God 
speaks,  we  cannot  listen  to  the  testimony  of  our  sense's. 

Our  Lord,  to  unite  us  intimately  to  himself,  has  deigned 
to  become  our  nourishment ;  he  has  commanded  us  to  drink 
of  that  same  blood  which  he  has  shed  for  us,  and  to  eat  of 
the  victim  immolated  for  us  upon  the  cross.  He  has  then 
been  profuse  in  miracles  to  procure  for  us  that  happiness. 

Example. — St  Ambrose,  in  one  of  his  discourses,  ad- 
dressing himself  to  the  martyr  St.  Lawrence,  exclaims^ 
•*  Whence  comes  then.  Oh  illustrious  martyr !  that  invin- 
cible courage  which  enables  you  to  endure  the  most  dread- 
ful torments  as  though  you  felt  them  not  ?  The  fire  con- 
sumes your  body,  and  you  brave  the  tyrant  and  the  execu- 
tioners !  Ah !  it  is  because  you  have  received  in  the  holy 
Communion  the  strong  and  mighty  God,  and  it  is  his  blood 
fJiat  flows  in  your  veins !" 


.>.V        j*      ■  |V  •  ■      . 


ARTICLE  II. 

ON    THB    DISPOSITIONS     FOR    RECEIVING    THE    EUCHARISU 

There  is  nf  sacrament  which  unites  us  more  closely 
with  God  than  the  divine  Eucharist;  and  there  is  nonei 


TOWARDS    COD. 


*26a 


e  execib- 


consequently,  for  which  wo  should  moro  carefully  j)roj)are. 
Tiie  holier  this  sacrament  is,  the  more  need  tliere  is  oi 
bringing  holy  dispositions  to  receive  it.  It  is  not  for  man, 
but  lor  (lod  that  we  prepare  a  dwelling.  Of  these  lucea- 
Bary  dispositions,  some  regard  the  8ou  and  others  tiie  body. 
Tiu)  first  disposition  of  tlie  soul  is  purity  of  conscience. 
VVu  must  prove  ourselves,  according  to  the  [)recoj)t  of  the 
Apostle,  before  we  eat  of  that  divine  bread,  and  if  we  feel 
our^-'elves  guilty  of  any  mortal  sin,  we  must  have  recourse 
to  the  sacrament  of  penance.  The  Eucharist  supposes 
spiritual  life  in  those  who  receive  it,  for  in  order  to  be 
nourished  by  it,  the  soul  must  be  living:  it  is  the  (iod  of 
purity  who  gives  iiimself  to  us,  and  lie  can  oidy  take  plea- 
sure in  a  pure  heart.  It  was  to  make  his  Apostles  sen.^ible 
of  this  truth,  that  Jesus  Christ  washed  their  feet  before  he 
gave  them  his  body  to  eat  and  his  blood  to  drink.  It  was 
for  the  same  reason  that,  in  the  Primitive  Church,  the  deacon 
turning  to  the  people  before  the  consecration  of  the  sacred 
mysteries,  said  aloud :  "  Things  that  are  holy  are  for  the 
saints."  The  Baptismal  innocence,  either  preserved  or  re- 
stored by  penance,  is  that  nuptial  garment  without  which 
none  are  to  appear  at  the  wedding  feast.  That  innpcence, 
tliat  purity,  is  the  principal  disposition,  but  with  it  must  be 
joined  a  lively  faith,  a  firm  hope,  and  an  ardent  charity. 

The  Eucharist  is  styled  by  the  Church  a  sacrament  of 
faith,  for  they  who  receive  it  must  believe  without  hesita- 
tion that  they  receive  Christ  himself,  as  he  came  into  the 
world,  died  to  save  us,  arose  gloriously  from  the  dead,  and 
is  now  in  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Father.  The 
firm  hope  consists  in  expecting  with  confidence  from  Jesus 
Christ  all  that  we  ask  of  him  relating  to  our  salvation  ;  what 
can  He  refuse  to  us,  who  gives  us  himself  wholly  and  en- 
tirely ?  He  has  declared  that  whoever  eats  his  flesh  and 
drinks  his  blood  shall  have  life  eternal,  and  shall  rise  again 
at  the  last  day ;  after  such  a  promise,  what  confidence 
should  we  not  have  in  his  goodness  ?  Let  us,  then,  ap- 
proach the  holy  table  in  the  same  disposition  as  did  the  wo- 
man in  the  Gospel,  who  said  within  herself:  "If  I  but  touch 
the  hem  of  his  garment  I  shall  be  healed,"  which  was  in- 
itantly  done,  as  she  had  believed.     The  Eucharist  is  a  sa- 


••■■••    '  ?  -.* 


■  r»  ■ 


"  • 

V  ■   , 

■'.  '■ 

•  w  •  ■ 

m 

P 

Js4. 


7  If* 


^ii  ■;;..■■ 


'Mm 


264 


DUTY   OP   THE    CURISTIAH 


m^^ 


i 


crament  of  love ;  it  is  by  an  incompreheFisible  love  that 
Chiist  has  instituted  it,  and  would  it  not  be  monstrous  in* 
gratitude  to  receive  it  into  a  cold,  indifferent  heart  ?  But 
this  love  must  be  accompanied  by  profound  sentiments  of 
humility,  of  adoration,  and  of  gratitude. 

What  is  it  that  we  receive  in  the  Eucharist  ?  Is  it  not 
God  himself,  the  Creator  and  Sovereign  Masier  of  the  uni. 
verse,  whose  power,  whose  sanctity,  and  all  other  peifec- 
lions  are  infinite  ?  And  what  are  we?  We  ha  ■  in  our- 
selves  nought  but  nothingness  and  sin.  Let  us,  therefore, 
humble  ourselves  before  our  God,  acknowledging  with  the 
centurion,  in  the  gospel,  that  we  are  not  worthy  to  approach 
him;  let  us  prostrate  ourselves  at  his  sacred  feet,  and  adore 
him  with  an  holy  awe,  for,  although  hidden  under  the  veil 
of  the  Eucharistic  symbols,  he  is  none  the  less  our  God. 
Let  us  excite  in  our  hearts  a  boundless  sentiment  of  grati- 
tude ;  if  it  is  to  be  in  proportion  to  the  favour  bestowed, 
what  should  it  be  when  the  gift  which  we  receive  is  infinite 
ill  its  value  ? 

The  body  must  also  contribute,  in  some  degree,  to  honour 
the  divine  guest  whom  it  is  to  receive.  There  are  two  dis- 
positions necessary  on  the  part  of  the  body  :  tne  first  is,  that 
it  be  fasting ;  the  Church  has  ordained  it  so,  from  the  primi- 
tive times,  through  respect  for  this  divine  Sacrament,  and  she 
only  dispenses  with  this  law  in  favour  of  those  who,  being 
dangerously  ill,  receive  it  as  the  viaticum.  The  second  is, 
to  be  kneeling,  and  to  have  the  exterior  as  modest  and  as 
collected  as  possible.  This  posture  of  the  body  and  this 
respectful  demeanour,  announce  the  sentiments  of  a  soul 
which  humbles  itself  profoundly  before  the  Supreme  Majesty. 

ExAMPLK. — Being  irritated  by  the  hard-heartedness  of 
Pharaoh,  and  touched  by  the  just  complaints  of  his  people, 
God  resolved  to  punish  that  obstinate  prince,  and  deliver 
Uie  Hebrews  from  the  bondage  under  which  they  groaned 
When  the  time  appointed  by  his  eternal  decrees  had  arrived, 
he  sent  a  destroying  Angel,  who  killed  in  one  night  all  the 
first-born  children  of  the  Egyptians ;  but  he  ordered  his 
people  to  sacrifice  a  lamb  on  the  previous  evening  to  eat  it 
in  every  family,  and  to  mark  with  its  blood  the  door  of  each 


TOWABDI    60D. 


S65 


house,  so  that  the  angel,  the  minister  of  his  vengeance, 
might  spare  the  children  of  that  chosen  race. 

Shortly  after,  he  fed  them  with  manna  whieh  for  forty 
years  he  sent  down  from  heaven. 

Who  can  fail  to  recognize  in  these  two  figures  the  divine 
Eucharist  ?  The  various  relations  existing  between  the 
shadow  and  the  reality  are  far  too  striking  to  leave  room 
for  mistake. 

The  Israelites,  who  were  the  people  of  God,  were  alone 
commanded  to  immolate  that  mysterious  lamb ;  and  the  ex- 
terminating Angel  spared  all  the  families  of  the  Israelites 
whose  doors  were  marked  with  its  blood.  Let  us  place  the 
reality  side  by  side  with  the  figure :  Christians  alone  have 
the  right  to  sacrifice  the  divine  Paschal  Lamb,  and  the  Aiv- 
gels,  the  minister  of  God's  vengeance,  spares  all  those  who 
are  marked  with  the  blood  thereof;  and  Ghrist  has  decreed 
that  the  faithful  shall  often  renew  this  sacrifice,  in  memory 
of  their  deliverance  from  the  slavery  of  the  devil. 

The  manna,  that  celestial  food,  was  also  a  very  natural 
image  of  the  Sacrament  of  our  altars.  It  is  called  the 
bread  of  heaven :  its  taste  was  the  most  delicious  that  cpuld 
be  imagined,  and  the  Israelites  only  ate  it  after  having  been 
delivered  from  the  captivity  of  Pharaoh. 

The  Eucharist,  as  Christ  himself  tells  us,  is  the  living 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven ;  it  is  the  fruitful 
source  of  every  giace,  and  can  only  be  partaken  of  when 
the  yoke  of  the  demon  is  cast  off,  that  is  to  say,  when  wie 
are  freed  from  the  slavery  of  sin. 


ARTICLE   III. 

OF   THE    EFFECTS    OF   THE    EUCHARIST. 

The  Eucharist  produces  admirable  effects  in  those  who 
Teceive  it  with  worthy  dispositions :  the  first  is  to  uniia  us 
intimately  with  Jesus  Christ  and  to  incorporate  us  .rith 
HKm.  We  may  be  united  to  him  by  faith,  in  believing  all  the 
truths  that  he  has  revealed  ;  we  may  also  be  united  to  him 
by  charity,  in  loving  him  perfectly :  faith  brings  our  mind 
in  subjection  to  him,  and  charity  attaches  to  him  our  heaot 

23 


•^= -^  if  1  :    ■  -i*^ 

Vi    ..>  '  t      "   •  ••    .■ 

1^".  .■    „>;'.,., 


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w*'''''-                         "' 

.^V'fn.     ■•.    :■ 

jTi"':         ■«» 

=;*1*- 

266 


DUTY    OP    THE    CHRISTIAN 


11: ' 


Vj-I- 


';,u,.s    ■i^>^ 


i    .  :, 


!■ 


;'»,  ■. 


"■^^iS.  ," 


■,.»'i;»  '■■ 


But  there  is  a  union  much  more  intimate  and  more  perfect 
being  that  which  is  effected  by  the  participation  of  liis  sa- 
cred tiesh  and  of  his  precious  blood  :  this  union  is  the  proper 
effect  of  the  Eucharist.  Jesus  Christ  gives  himself  entirely 
to  us,  and  unites  his  body  with  ours :  by  this  union  we  be- 
come the  same  body  and  the  same  spirit  with  him.  As  the 
food  which  we  take  nourishes  our  body,  so  in  like  manner 
does  the  holy  Eucharist  nourish  our  soul ;  there  is  no  sort 
of  difference  between  the  two  cases,  for,  even  as  this  food  is 
changed  into  our  substance,  so  does  the  holy  Communion 
transform  us  into  Jesus  Christ.  This  it  was  that  made  St 
Paul  say  :  "  It  is  no  more  I  who  live,  it  is  Jesus  Christ  who 
liveth  in  me." 

The  second  effect  of  the  Eucharist  is  to  increase,  to  con- 
firm, and  to  preserve  within  ys  the  spiritual  life  of  grace. 
Our  divine  Saviaur,  having  become  the  food  of  our  souls, 
remains  not  inactive ;  he  gives  a  new  impulse  to  the  divine 
grace ;  he  confirms  us  in  his  love,  and  makes  us  preserve 
Qiat  precious  treasure  with  constant  fidelity  ;  hence  that 
unvarying  sanctity  which  we  so  much  admire  in  those  who 
communicate  devoutly.  Would  you  know  what  it  is  that 
maintains  that  young  man  in  such  edifying  piety,  and  in  a 
regularity  of  life  which  renders  him  a  model  for  all  around? 
It  is  the  holy  Eucharist  which  he  frequently  receives,  and 
with  excellent  dispositions. 

The  third  effect  of  this  august  Sacrament,  is  to  weaken 
ciur  natural  concupiscence,  and  to  moderate  the  violence  of 
our  passions.  We  are  all  born  with  a  strong  tendency  to 
evil ;  it  is  like  a  venom  infused  into  our  whole  nature  l)y  the 
sin  of  the  first  man.  The  Eucharist  does  not  entiit^  free 
us  from  this  proneness  to  evil,  but  it  lessens  its  malignity ; 
and  hence  it  is  that  the  Fathers  of  the  Church  have  called 
ft  an  antidote,'  a  counterpoison.  In  reality,  this  is  what 
mery  one  feels  who  communicates  frequently  and  with  good 
dispositions;  they  feel  their  own  strength  increase  while 
that  of  their  spiritual  enemy  is  diminished. 

The  fourth  effect  of  the  Eucharist  is  to  give  us  the  |)iedge 
of  eternal  life  and  of  a  glorious  resurrection.  It  is  Christ 
fcimself  who  teaches  to  us  this  consoling  truth :  "  He  who 
eatetli  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath  eternal  lite,  and 


\  ■ 


TOWARDS   GOD. 


267 


[  will  raii-e  him  up  at  the  last  day."  The  life  which  the 
holy  Eucharist  imparts  to  the  soul  is,  as  it  were,  the  begin- 
ning and  the  foretaste  of  tlie  life  of  bliss ;  and  that  lifi* 
shall  abide  in  us  and  shall  be  everlasting,  if  we  do  not  vo- 
luntarily deprive  ourselves  of  it.  This  divine  sueranient 
aets  also  on  our  bodies ;  it  is  in  them  as  a  seed  and  a  germ 
of  immortality,  which  shall  one  day  bring  them  forth  from 
the  dust  of  the  tomb,  and  clothe  them  with  every  glorious 
qualit}'.  The  presence  of  Christ  within  us  becomes  an  as- 
sured pledge  of  our  immortality,  but  it  is  only  fervent  com- 
munion that  operates  these  happy  effects ;  tepid  communion, 
that  is  to  say,  without  sincere  piety  or  with  any  affection 
to  venial  sin,  leaves  the  soul  in  all  its  original  weakness, 
which  it  even  increases,  and  this  applies  still  more  strongly 
lo  sacrilegious  communion,  which  is  an  enormoas  crime. 

Example. — One  day  when  Jesus  was  teaching  in  the  syn- 
agogue of  Caphernaum,  this  question  was  asked  him  by 
some  of  the  listeners ;  "  What  shall  we  do  to  perform  the 
will  of  God  ? "  Jesus  answered  them  :  "  The  will  of  God 
is  that  ye  believe  in  Him  whom  he  hath  sent."  Where- 
upon the  Jews  rephed :  "  What  hast  thou  wrought,  that 
seeing  thee  we  should  believe  ?  Our  fathers  did  eat  manna 
in  the  desert,  for  it  is  written :  "  He  hath  given  them  bread 
from  heaven  to  eat."  Our  I^ord  resumed  his  discourse, 
saying:  "  Verily,  verily,  \  saj  into  you,  Moses  hath  not 
given  ye  bread  from  heaven,  but  it  is  my  Father  who  giveth 
the  tx'ue  bread  from  heaven,  for  the  bread  of  God  is  He 
who  cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  who  giveth  life  to  the 
world.  I  am  the  bread  c''  Vie  ;  your  fathers  did  eat  manna 
in  the  desert,  and  they  are  dead  ;  but  this  is  the  bread  which 
cometh  down  from  heaven,  that  he  who  eattth  it  may  not 
die.  I  am  the  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  ;  he 
who  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  have  life  eternal,  and  thd 
bread  which  I  will  give  is  my  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world. 
He  who  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath  eternal 
life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day ;  for  my  flesh  is 
meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed  ;  he  who  eateth 
my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  abideth  in  me  and  I  in  him.*' 

What  mor^  clear  than  these  words  •  "  The  bread  whiob 


:'  Li-^s^ 


■t\ 


V""   'J-    t'\    !■'■ 
Eli  T,   ^  •i     •        -jw. 


m-r  •■:-*■■  \ 


mu 


•I. 


t.  - 


t%.K' 


•rmm 


ml 


868 


DUTY    OP   THE    CHRISTIAN 


I  will  give  is  my  flesh :  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my 
blood  is  drink  indeed  ? "  and  do  they  not  show  beyond  all 
doubt  the  real  presence  of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
Eucharist?  John  vk 


ARTICLE   IV. 


Iktfr  ■',';•'  ,/0-  , 


m' 


ft    f-   «•  .•* '  »\"       .  »• 

P'  ':j  r      *  •  '     '  " 


^1  ^»¥>    J"-;: 


'"    ::  \  ,s' 


OP    BAD    COMMUNION. 

They  who  communicate  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin,  do  in. 
deed  receive  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  but  they  receive 
not  the  graces  and  salutary  effects  of  the  sacrament.  On 
the  contrary  they  eat  and  drink  their  own  condemnation, 
according  to  the  dreadful  sentence  of  the  apostle  St.  Paul: 
•*  Whoever"  says  he,  "  eateth  of  that  bread  and  drinketh 
the  chalice  of  the  Lord  unworthily,  (that  is  to  say,  in  a 
state  of  sin  whereby  he  is  rendered  unworthy)  is  guilty  of 
the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  Let  a  man,  therefore,  prove 
himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  the  bread  and  drink  of  the 
chalice,  for  he  who  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth 
and  drinketh  his  own  condemnation,  not  discerning  the 
body  of  the  Lord."  From  these  words  we  learn  what  a 
crime  it  is  to  make  a  bad  communion,  and  how  terrible  are 
its  effects.  This  crime  is  the  most  horrible  of  all  sacri- 
leges,  beirg  the  profanation  of  the  most  august  of  all  sacra- 
ments, and  of  all  that  is  holiest  in  religion  ;  it  profanes  iu 
the  most  outrageous  manner,  both  the  divinity  and  humanity 
of  Christ ;  it  unites  as  far  as  such  a  union  is  possible,  that 
divine  Saviour  with  iniquity,  by  causing  his  adorable  blood 
to  flow  through  veins  infected  with  sin.  This  crime  is  liko 
to  that  of  Judas,  in  its  perfidy  and  treachery  ;  like  that  un- 
happy  traitor,  the  unworthy  communicant  betrays  his  di- 
vine Master  to  his  most  cruel  enemies ;  like  him,  after  hav- 
ing been  loaded  with  his  favours,  he  violates  the  most  sa- 
cred rights  of  friendship  and  of  gratitude ;  he  crucifies  him 
anew,  makes  him  the  sport  of  his  passions,  and  tramples  on 
the  Wood  of  the  new  covenant ;  such  are  again  the  words 
of  the  Apostle.  And  then  what  are  the  effects  of  a  crime 
so  heinous  ?  Here  they  are  :  He  who  eats  and  drinks  uo- 
warthily,  eats  and  drinks  his  own  judgment  and  condemiia* 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


269 


don.  The  profaner  eats  and  drinks  the  warrant  whereby 
he  is  condemned ;  he  incorporates  it  with  himself,  and  ren- 
ders it  in  some  sor ',  inevitable.  Nourishment  is  no  longer 
separable  from  him  who  has  taken  it,  for  it  is  changed  into 
his  own  flesh  and  blood,  and  beconieis  the  same  substance 
with  himself,  so  that  they  can  no  longer  be  divided  ;  in  like 
nanner,  when  the  profaner  has  ea^&n  his  own  judgment, 
he  has,  as  it  were,  changed  it  into  himself;  his  condemna* 
tion  is  not  merely  written  in  a  book,  nor  on  tables  of  mar- 
ble or  of  stone,  but  on  his  own  heart :  it  has  passed  into 
his  veins,  and  he  bears  it  incessantly  with  and  about  him. 
Oh,  dteadful  punishment,  which  can  only  proceed  from  the 
wrath  of  a  God  betrayed  and  insulted  !  Henoe,  it  usually 
happens  that  he  who  has  committed  this  crime  falls  into  a 
callousness  of  heart,  and  a  darkness  of  mind,  which  lead  him 
on  to  final  impenitence.  We  have  a  fearful  example  of  this 
in  the  perfidious  Judas :  scarcely  had  he  received  the  holy 
Eucharist  unworthily,  when  his  mind  was  darkened  and  his 
heart,  as  it  were,  petrified,  nothing  could  stop  him ;  he 
quickly  arqse  from  the  table,  and  consummated  his  crime. 
In  what  did  his  sacrilege  end  ?  In  despair,  in  death,  and 
in  eternal  reprobation.  Nevertheless,  it  must  not  be  infer- 
red  from  this  that  he  who  has  made  a  bad  communion  is  to 
despair  of  his  salvation :  God  forbid !  how  great  soever 
may  be  his  crime,  he  has  always  a  resource,  for  the  mercy 
of  God  is  infinite,  and  if  he  seeks  it  with  a  contrite  and 
humble  heart  he  shall  not  be  rejected ;  that  precious  blood 
which  he  has  once  profaned  can  again  purify  him.  But 
what  we  are  to  conclude  is  that  the  crime  of  receiving  un- 
worthily  is  hard  to  expiate ;  that  it  rarely  happens  that  a 
profaner  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  enters  into  him- 
self; and  that  we  should  take  all  possible  care  lest  we  fall 
into  so  grievous  a  misfortune,  and  that  if  it  have  happened 
recouise  must  be  immediately  had  to  the  sacrament  oi 
penance. 

Example. — The  sacred  books  present  to  as  but  one  ifn* 
stance  of  an  unworthy  communion,  being  that  of  Judas, 
who  received  his  God  into  a  soul  defiled  by  avarice,  and 
already  occupied  with  the  project  of  betraying  him.     Satao 


fl 

■*•»••■    t  ( 

■;■       .  "    . 

-  ^-'f.  *:^-,-.; 

'■■•  ■  ^ '  .■■■•  V'  •■ 

■<-     .. ,»' . ',  < 

-    ;>!(•- 

L%-;  ■'>'•••;• 

lii'r    -   :  ~ . 

U:ri-:: 

^■^h.c.-.:fv."- 

t-  ■  :..,    ,:-_;: 

'*■■■    t  1  '■••  .  ,•' 

,.•-.-                       *• 

'..  ■.   ■    .  ■  ■••    .r 

:m:;      ■:.• , 

r^,:'>*  ■.  ■' 

<«.,.•:  ...  :> 

*-^ 


270 


DUTJf    OF  THE    CHRISTIAIS 


i'T 


•  ,^  '. 


immediately  enters  into  him ;  he  sells  his  kind  master,  de* 
livers  him  over  to  his  enemies ;  neither  the  kiss  of  the  Sou 
of  God,  nor  the  sweet  name  o(  friend  by  which  he  ad- 
dresses him,  having  power  to  touch  his  hardened  heart 
What  wds  the  end  of  that  monster,  the  object  of  just  and 
endless  execration  ?  He  fell  into  despair  and  became  his 
own  executioner;  he  hung  himself,  and  his  bowels  burst 
asunder  and  fell  out,  as  though  they  could  not  contain  the 
God  who  had  vouchsafed  to  enter  therein.  His  guilty  soul 
was  cast  into  hell  where  it  has  now  been  for  upwaids  of 
eighteen  hundred  years.  Alas !  those  accumulated  ages  are 
but  a  point  in  the  dread  eternity  of  the  infernal  torments ! 
How  terrible  is  this  exariiple !  Weigh  attentively  all  its 
circumstances:  behold  the  blindness  of  that  sacrilegious 
apostle, — his  callousness,  his  despair, — and  learn  therefrom 
that  it  is  a  heinous  crime  to  communicate  unworthily,  since 
it  draws  after  it  such  frightful  consequences. 


ARTICLE  V. 


'    t  ,1*-,  '.y  "^   '^ 


OP    FREQUENT    COMMUNION. 

The  Apostle  St.  Paul,  after  having  depicted  in  the  strong- 
est terms  the  enormity  of  an  unworthy  communion,  does 
not  conclude  :  "  Keep  away  from  the  holy  Eucharist ;"  but 
he  says :  "  Let  a  man,  therefore,  prove  himself,  and  so  let 
him  eat  of  that  bread  and  drink  of  that  cup."  The  leaf  of 
communicating-  unworthily  ought  not,  therefore,  to  deter  us 
from  communion,  but  engage  us  seriously  to  examine  our 
dispositions,  and  redouble  our  watchfulness  over  ourselves 
so  that  we  may  be  able  frequently  to  approach  the  holy 
t^^'le  ^vlih  good  dispositions.  To  communicate  un\v<vj}iiiy 
is,  doubtless,  a  g  ^at  evil ;  but  not  to  communicate  a  all  is 
not  less  an  evil,  and  both  lead  inevitably  to  eternal  death. 
The  Eucharist  is  necessary  for  maintaining  and  preserving 
the  spiritual  life  of  grace ;  for  the  strength  of  the  soul,  like 
that  of  the  body,  is  gradually  worn  away,  if  it  be  not  kept 
up.  The  means  of  effecting  this  is  the  divine  Eucharist,  es- 
tablished for  that  purpose  by  Jesus  Christ.  '  If  ye  eat  not/* 
gays  He  himself,  "the  Hesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink 


'♦..         f-, 
*    J 

H 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


271 


not  his  ulood,  ye  shall  have  no  life  in  ^fou."  He  has  insti- 
tuted this  sacrament  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine,  to 
intimate  that  we  ought  to  receive  it  often :  the  holy  Eucha- 
rist ought  to  be  the  ordinary  nourishment  of  our  soul,  aa 
bread  and  wine  are  of  our  body.  In  the  first  ages  of  Ciiris- 
tianity,  this  truth  was  well  understood,  and  the  primitive 
Jhristiann  regarded  the  Eucharist  as  the  daily  bread  of  the 
diildren  of  God  ;  they  partook  of  it,  indeed,  every  day,  and 
feared  nothing  so  much  as  the  being  deprived  of  it.  We 
should  endeavour  to  have  the  same  dispositions  as  they  had, 
and  seek  to  imitate  their  fervor.  Awd  let  it  not  be  said  that 
frequent  communion  was  then  usual,  but  that  the  discipline 
of  the  Church  has  changed.  *  grant  that  Christians  have 
changed,  and  that  fervor  has  diminished,  but  the  sf)irit  of 
the  Church  is  always  the  same.  The  holy  Council  of  Trent 
says  that  it  would  wish  all  the  faithful,  as  often  as  they 
assisted  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  to  communicate  not  only 
spiritually,  but  by  the  actual  reception  of  the  Kucharist 
Another  council  expresses  a  similar  desire  in  these  terms : 
"  We  observe,  with  sorrow,  that  there  are  Christians  so 
negligent  as  to  communicate  but  once  in  the  year;  and  for 
that  reason  we  exhort  priests  and  all  who  exercise  the  min- 
istry of  speech,  to  instruct  the  faithful  as  to  the  frequent 
communion  formerly  in  use;  on  the  marvellous  effects 
which  it  then  produced,  and  that  there  is  no  means  so  well 
adapted  to  restore  amongst  us  the  happy  days  of  the  primi- 
tive Church  as  frequent  communion." 

If  the  (Jhurch,  therefore,  only  binds  the  faithful  to  one 
communion  in  the  year,  it  is  not  because  she  believes  that 
annual  communion  suft^cient  to  preserve  in  her  children  tho 
spiritual  life  of  grace ;  she  does  not  wish  to  use  thieats  in 
order  to  induce  them  to  communicate  more  frequently,  fear- 
ful of  thereby  multiplying  transgressions  or  sacrileges  ;  but 
»He  would  desire  that  they  might  be  pure  enough  to  i-eceivo 
fre'|uentJly,--as  often,  in  short,  as  would  be  necessary  to 
pre»t;rve,  by  virtue  of  the  Eucharist,  the  life  and  liealth  of  the 
soul.  If  we  love  God,  we  will  often  unite  ourselves  with 
liim ;  be  invites  us  to  tJhat  sacred  banquet.  "  Come  to  me," 
lays  he,  "  all  you  who  are  »ore  and  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
relieve  you  ;  come  with  confidence,  and  fear  nothing  :  coiiw 


'""''  hi  'i  i' ' 


I 


_■■,•! 

fXA   ■    ■■  -- 

T. '  ■  V     J  '  '    '. 


A- 


■'■    ,r 


272 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRI8TIAW 


^vfi 


i3M 


.  r 


to  nie,  who  am  your  father,  and  I  will  give  you  the  mogl 
touching  pledge  of  my  affection  ;  come  to  me,  who  am  your 
God  and  I  will  enrich  you  with  tny  mosc  precious  graces." 
The  safest  course  for  a  faithful  Christian  in  this  respect,  is 
to  confess  often,  at  least  on  the  approach  of  the  great  festi- 
vals, and  to  follow  the  advice  of  his  confessor  as  regards 
the  more  or  less  frequent  use  of  the  holy  communion.  An- 
other practice  which  is  extremely  advantageous  is,  to  malw 
a  spiritual  communion  from  time  to  time ;  in  order  to  do 
BO  we  have  but  to  recollect  ourselves  a  moment,  make  au 
act  of  desire  of  the  actual  communion,  and  invite  Jesus 
Christ  to  enter  our  soul,  after  having  adored  him  in  the 
most  holy  sacrament  of  the  altar. 

Example. — The  young  Albini.  not  having  attained  the 
prescribed  age  for  making  his  first  communion,  contented 
himself  with  sighing  incessantly  after  the  happy  day  when 
he  might  receive  his  God  under  the  Eucharistic  veils,  and 
he  omitted  nothing  in  preparing  himself  for  so  holy  an  ac- 
tion. He  had  so  lively  a  horror  for  sin,  that  he  avoided 
even  the  appearance  of  evil.  He  often  said  that  he.  would 
not  suffer  the  devil  to  enter  his  heart  before  Jesus  Christ, 
and  he  had  a  constant  desire  to  instruct  himself  in  all  that 
concerns  the  adorable  sacrament  of  our  altars.  He  not 
only  sought  to  remember  the  words  of  the  catechism,  but 
even  to  take  in  their  entire  meaning.  The  innocence  of  hia 
life,  his  extreme  desire  to  receive  the  holy  communion,  and 
the  diligence  with  with  which  he  prepared  for  it,  induced 
his  director  to  admit  him  to  the  holy  table  earlier  than  chil- 
dren are  usually  received.  This  news  was  the  most  delight- 
ful that  he  could  have  heard  ;  he  thanked  his  confessor  with 
transports  of  joy,  and  from  that  moment  his  sole  care  was 
to  purify  his  heart  more  and  more,  so  as  to  prepare  for  Jesui 
Christ  a  dwelling  not  altogether  unworthy  of  him.  With 
tliat  intention  he  would  make  a  retreat  before  the  time  of 
his  communion,  during  which  he  made  a  general  confession 
of  his  whole  life.  To  see  the  torrents  of  tears  which  he 
poured  forth,  and  the  lively  sorrow  by  which  he  was  pen©- 
tiated,  one  would  have  said  that  there  had  never  been  a 
greater  sinner  than  he  on  the  earth.    Yet  he  had  never  stainB«i 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


27.1 


:V|i.ii>^' 


hiB  baptismal  robe  by  any  mortal  sin  ;  but  the  light  of  grace 
by  which  he  was  enlightened,  caused  him  to  regard  even 
the  slightest  faults  as  so  many  hideous  monsters,  and  he 
could  not  console  himself  because  of  having  otTended  a  God 
who  vouchsafed  even  to  become  the  food  of  his  soul. 

It  was  in  such  sentiments  as  those  that  he  passed  the  time 
of  his  retreat.  The  joyful  moment  for  which  he  had  so 
long  sighed,  arrived  at  last,  and  he  had  the  happiness  of 
receiving  his  God ;  but  it  would  be  impossible  to  express 
the  lively  sentiments  of  piety  which  uaimated  him  when  re- 
ceiving the  communion.  He  ^vept  and  sighed,  and  broke 
out  into  transports  of  love  and  gratitude.  "  Yes,  my  God," 
he  cried,  "since  you  have  had  the  goodness  to  give  yourself 
to  me,  I  will  give  myself  entirely  to  you ;  since  you  have 
united  yourself  so  closely  with  me,  nothing  shall  hencefor- 
ward separate  me  from  you.  I  should  be  the  most  ungrate 
ful  of  all  creatures  if  I  used  any  reserve  towards  a  God  who 
has  loved  me  beyond  measure." 

Nor  was  this  one  of  those  passing  fits  of  devotion  which 
vanish  with  the  occasion  that  called  them  forth.  Albini 
never  forgot  that  blissful  day,  nor  the  engagements  con- 
tracted with  his  God.  The  communion  was  for  him  a  salu- 
tary nourishment  whereby  he  sensibly  grew  in  virtue  and 
in  piety.  Very  far  from  satiating  his  desires,  this  celestial 
food  served  only,  on  the  contrary,  to  redouble  their  ardour, 
and  ever  after  he  never  failed  to  receive  every  fortnight, 
well  knowing  that  the  divine  Eucharist  is  as  necessary  to  our 
soul  as  earthly  food  is  to  our  body,  and  that  it  is  impossible 
to  maintain  ourselves  constantly  in  the  ways  of  innocence 
and  true  piety  without  the  frequent  use  of  that  adorable 
sacrament.  The  Virtuous  Scholars. 


ARTICLE   VI. 

ON    THE    8ACKIFICE    OF   THK   MASS. 

The  Eucharist  is  not  merely  a  sacrament  wherein  Jesus 
Christ  gives  himself  to  us  to  be  our  spiritual  sustenance, 
but  it  is  also  a  sacrifice  in  which  he  offers  himself  for  us  to 
his  eternal  Father.     Our  Lord  is  not  contented  v»'i(h  oaring 


!  h  .-.■■ 

*: . .  ■ 

A':                 :  ' 

••      "■■'»'■  r    ■-. 

'.•..'    •'■  ■'•  .. ''' 

t^^ ';:',![ 

n  ■                        ■■■.'. 

^k} ' 

i    /*  tii^ 

•*»' 


274 


DUTY    or    THE    CHR18TIA?f 


mm 


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mt 

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^M^^Mm 

1  ffi|||M^ 

K  ^jwaf^i^ 

^fe';." 

u  i^Tr#^3H^ 

e';< 

« .;, 

himsolf  once  on  the  cross  for  our  redemption,  f.jit  ho  wonld 
leave  to  his  Church  a  sacrifice  to  represont  that  of  the  cross, 
which  might  perpetuate  the  memory  thereof  till  the  end  of 
tlie  world,  and  apply  its  merit:s  (Mito  us;  it  was  for  this  pur- 
pose  that,  in  his  last  supper,  on  the  very  night  that  he  v  ;ia 
hetrayed,  he  offered  up  to  God  his  Father  liis  body  and  hif 
Mood,  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine ;  he  gave  them  t< 
his  a]>ostles,  whom  he  then  established  as  priests  of  tlie  new 
law,  and  by  these  words  :  "  do  Ihu  remembrance  of  me** 
be  commanded  them,  and  their  succ  iOrs  in  the  priesthood, 
to  offer  them  up,  as  the  Catholic  Church  has  always  under- 
stood  and  taught. 

This  sacrifice  is  the  renewal  and  the  comm  morative 
figure  of  that  of  the  cross:  the  figure,  because  the  blood  of 
Christ  appears  to  be  separated  from  his  body,  which  appa- 
rent  separation  recalls  the  memory  of  the  real  separation ; 
the  renewal,  because  it  is  the  same  victim,  the  same  host, 
the  same  sacrificer,  and  consequently  the  same  sacrifice, 
offered  upon  the  cross ;  the  difference  that  exists  between 
ttiem  is  only  in  the  manner :  on  the  cross  he  was  offered 
up  by  himself,  whilst  on  the  altar  he  offers  liimself  through 
the  ministry  of  the  priest :  on  the  cross  he  was  offered  up 
in  a  i)loody  manner,  but  the  sacrifice  of  the  altar  is  an  un- 
bloody one.  Such  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  Christian  religion, 
the  august  sacrifice  which  alone  comprises  all  the  advan- 
tages which  were  but  prefigureti  by  the  various  sacrifices 
of  the  old  law  ;  it  is,  at  the  same  time,  a  sacrifice  of  adora- 
tion ;  by  which  we  acknowledge  the  supreme  dominion  of 
God  over  all  his  creatures ;  a  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving, 
whereby  we  thank  him  for  his  blessings;  a  sacrifice  of  nn- 
petration,  by  which  we  obtain  yet  other  favours ;  and  a  sacri* 
fice  of  p  Oj Atiation  whereby  we  appease  his  justice. 

The  oblation  which  Christ  makes  of  himself  to  his  Father 
con-prhos  the  most  perftct  homage  which  can  be  rendered 
to  his  infinite  Majesty,  and  nothing  can  move  him  more 
•trongly  to  look  upon  us  with  an  eye  of  mercy,  by  placing 
before  him  the  cruel  death  to  which  his  beloved  Son  volun- 
tarily submitted,  to  reconcile  sinners  with  Him. 

InsLi'ucted  in  the  mystery  of  the  Eucharist,  persuaded 
that  Cbi'is*  is  really  present  on  the  altar,  where  he  renewp 


,v-i-, 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


275 


it,  to  rtMidor  to  God 
him,  to  obtain  the  reini 
us  the  graces  of  which 


and  porp«tuates  tho  memory  of  his  death,  vith  what  piety 
and  gratitude  should  we  assist  at  this  august  sacrifice !  If 
we  had  been  present  on  Calvary  when  our  Saviour  was  im- 
molated for  us,  what  would  have  been  our  sentiments  ! 
Should  we  not  have  been  penetrated  M'ith  sorrow,  coinpuno* 
tion  and  love,  in  sight  of  so  touching  a  spectacle  ?  Since 
the  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  cross,  it 
ought  to  inspire  us  with  the  same  sentiments.  We  should 
tiiko  care  to  unite  ourselves  in  spirit  with  the  priest  who 
offers  it  up,  and  conforo'      ir  intentions  to  his.     He  offers 

ri'ie  worship  which  is  duo  to 
ir  sins,  to  draw  down  upon 
in  need,  and  to  thank  God 
tor  all  those  which  we  L.ive  ai  eady  received. 

It  is  to  God  alone  that  the  sacrifice  is  offered,  because  il 
k  the  honiage  of  our  dependence  and  of  our  servitude.  We 
only  coaimenjorate  the  saints  in  the  course  of  the  mass,  to 
praise  an<l  thank  God  for  the  victories  which  his  grace  has 
enal>led  them  to  obtain,  and  to  ask  them  to  unite  theii 
prayers  with  )ur8.  This  sacrifice  is  offered  not  only  for  the 
livinijj,  but  also  for  all  those  who  have  died  in  the  state  of 
grace,  and  who  may  have  still  some  sins  to  expiate  in  pur- 
gatory. The  Church  prays  for  them,  through  the  merits  of 
this  sacrifice,  that  their  souls  may  be  relieved  in  the  pains 
>vhich  they  undergo,  and  may  be  freed  therefrom  to  enter 
upon  eternal  life.  This  custom  of  oflfering  up  the  holy 
sacriMoc  for  the  dead  is  of  remote  antiquity,  and  comes  from 
the  tradition  of  the  apostles. 

Examples. — A  certain  mother  of  a  family,  who  had  con- 
tracted the  excellent  habit  of  every  day  assisting  at  mass, 
heard  it  in  this  way  :  on  Sunday,  to  acconjplish  the  precept 
of  the  Church ;  on  Monday,  for  the  souls  in  purgatory  ;  on 
Tuesday,  for  the  conversion  of  sinners ;  on  Wednc'sday,  for 
the  perseverance  of  the  just;  on  Thursday  to  acquit  herself 
of  her  duty  towards  Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament ;  on 
Friday,  in  honour  of  his  Passsion  ;  and  on  Saturday  to  place 
herself  and  her  family  under  the  protection  of  Mary.  She 
asserted  that  she  had  derived  the  very  greatest  advantages 
from  this  pious  practice. 


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276 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHKISTIAN 


William  Ruffin,  a  young  scholar  whose  life  might  serve 
as  a  model  for  Christian  youth,  found  his  greatest  pleasure 
in  serving  mass.  He  discharged  this  delightful  duty  with 
touching  piety  and  with  such  angelic  fervour  that  no  one 
could  look  upon  him  without  being  moved  to  devotion.  It 
may  be  truly  said  that  by  this  holy  exercise  he  obtained 
from  God  so  many  graces  that  he  was  raised  to  a  high  de- 
gree of  sanctity. 

Life  of  Ruffin,  by  the  Mbi  Carron. 


jiT 


ffiw 

w^m 

B^i^ 

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ff 

i 

CHAPTER    VI. 


OP    EXTREME    UNCTION. 


God,  who  is  infinitely  good,  has  not  only  provided  us 
with  salutary  assistance  for  the  course  of  our  life,  and  a 
state  of  health,  but  he  has  also  established  a  sacrament  to 
console  U&  in  the  time  of  sickness,  and  especially  at  the  ap- 
proach of  death,  when  temptations  are  more  violent  ^nd 
more  dangerous.  This  sacrament  is  called  Extreme  Unction, 
being  the  last  unction  that  a  Christian  receives.  The  first 
unction  is  made  in  baptism,  the  second  in  confirmation,  and 
the  last  in  any  dangerous  malady.  Jesus  Christ  has  instituted 
the  Extreme  Unction  for  the  spiritual  and  corporal  relief  of 
the  sick.  It  is  explained  to  us  by  the  apostle  St.  James,  in 
the  following  terms  :  "  If  any  one  be  sick  amongst  you,  let 
him  call  in  the  priests  of  the  church,  and  let  them  pray  over 
him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  and 
the  prjiy(^r  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  man :  the  Lord  will 
comfort  him,  and  if  he  be  guilty  of  any  sin,  it  shall  be  re* 
mitted."  From  these  words  we  learn  tliat  two  things  are 
essential  to  this  sacrament :  the  unction,  and  the  prayer 
which  accompanies  it:  the  unction  is  made  with  oil  oi 
olives,  consecrated  by  the  bishop  on  holy  Thursday.  The 
holy  oil  is  applied  to  each  of  the  five  senses,  in  order  to 
purify  them  from  the  sins  of  which  they  have  been  the  me- 
dium. This  is  the  prayer  which  the  priest  pronounces 
while  making  the  application  :  "  May  the  T^ord,  by  this  unc- 
tion with  sacred  oil,  and  through  his  great  mercy,  forgive 
thee  all  the  sins  which  thou  hast  committed  by  sight,  by 


tierst 
even 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


277 


smell,  and  by  the  other  senses."  A  prajTr  both  powerful 
and  efficacious,  since  our  Lord  hath  promised,  by  the  mouth 
oi  his  Apostle,  that  he  will  always  hear  it. 

This  sacrament  has  three  principal  effects :  the  first  is  to 
strengthen  the  sick  person  against  the  temptations  of  the 
devil,  and  the  horror  of  death  ;  it  confirms  their  faith  and 
confidence  in  God,  and  by  that  means  fortifies  them  against 
ihe  attacks  of  the  devil ;  it  excites  in  the  heart  the  desire 
and  the  hope  of  possessing  God,  and  thus  fortifies  against 
the  fear  of  death ;  the  more  ardent  is  this  desire,  and  firmer 
this  hope,  the  less  they  fear  to  die. 

The  second  effect  of  Extreme  Unction  is  to  efface  the 
traces  of  sin,  together  with  the  sins  themselves,  if  there  are 
Btill  any  to  be  expiated  ;  hence  it  is  that  this  sacrament  was 
called  by  the  fathers  of  the  church,  the  perfection  and  com- 
pletion of  penance.  By  the  traces  or  remains  of  sin  is  un- 
derstood a  weakness  and  languor  of  soul  which  continues 
even  after  the  sin  has  been  forgiven,  which  produces  a 
lingering  attachment  to  the  things  of  the  earth,  and  preveflts 
us  from  having  a  taste  for  spiritual  things  ;  this  sacrament 
removes  that  weakness,  by  detaching  us  from  the  world  and 
making  us  desire  heaven.  It  also  remits  venial  sin,  and 
even  those  mortal  sins  which  may  have  been  forgotten,  or 
which  the  sick  person  is  unable  to  confess,  provided,  never- 
theless, that  there  be  sincere  and  true  contrition  ;  but,  if 
possible,  recourse  must  be  previously  had  to  the  sacrament 
of  penance,  for  Extreme  Unction  is  a  sacrament  of  the  liv- 
ing, and  ought  to  be  received  in  the  state  of  grace. 

The  third  effect  of  Extreme  Unction  lb  to  restore  health 
to  the  sick,  if  it  be  consistent  with  WvAt  salvation ;  it  must 
not  therefore  be  deferred  till  the  last  extremity  ;  it  is  no 
time  to  ask  for  health  when  one  is  about  to  breathe  his 
last,  for  that  would  be  to  tempt  God,  since  the  person's  re- 
covery could  not  be  effected  without  an  evident  miracle. 
It  suffices  to  be  dangerously  ill,  in  order  to  receive  Extreme 
Unction,  and  when  it  is  received  with  sound  and  free  judg- 
ment one  is  better  disposea  for  its  reception,  and  derives 
much  more  profit  therefrom.  Besides,  in  deferring  it  till 
the  last  moment,  one  runs  the  risk  of  dying  without  it,  for 
it  often  happens  that  they  who  thus  postpone  it,  are  finally 

24 


'    ■'r.-J  * 


m 


m  r: 


^mwKi 

m 

"■  %m^m 

^^fc  i,  L  ■ 

i  V"'3EIHm 

W' 

LIpIH 

^t 

278  DUTY    OP   THE    CHRISTIAN 

prevented  by  death  from  receiving  it  at  all.  Although  this 
sacrament  be  not  of  absolute  necessity,  we  are  neverthe- 
less bound  to  receive  it  when  we  can,  for  it  is  the  ordinary 
means  of  obtaining  a  happy  death ,  those  who  neglect  it 
disobey  a  precept  of  Christ,  and  they  wilfully  deprive  them- 
selves of  the  graces  attached  to  this  sacrament,  and  expose 
themselves  to  the  danger  of  a  bad  death,  which  i?  *he 
greatest  of  all  misfortunes. 

Examples. — A  father  was  once  dangerously  ill.  He 
had  a  daughter  of  about  eight  years  old,  who  had  profitted 
well  by  the  instructions  she  had  received  at  Catechism. 
Being  alone  with  her  father,  she  said  to  him :  "  Papa ! 
papa !  you  are  very  sick,  and  the  doctor  says  that  you  may 
perhaps  die  to-morrow.  Mamma  is  crying  in  her  own 
room,  and  they  are  all  trying  to  comfort  her.  1  have  heard 
the  priest  say  at  Catechism  that  it  is  a  great  sin  to  let  any 
one  die  without  confession,  and  no  one  ventures  to  tell  you 
that  you  ought  to  make  your  confession. — "  I  thank  you," 
said  her  father,  **  go,  my  child,  go  instantly  for  the  priest. 
May  the  Lord  bless  you,  for  I  shall  be  indebted  to  you  aft^r 
God,  for  my  salvation." — The  priest  came,  and  gave  the  last 
sacraments  to  the  sick  man,  who  died  next  day.  After 
having  received  the  Sacraments,  he  several  times  exclaimed : 
"  Without  my  little  one — my  dear  child,  what  would  have 
become  of  me  ? "  Lasausse. 

St.   Martin,  archbishop  Tours,  St   Louis,   king  of 

France,  and  Louis  the  Tall,  .another  king  of  France,  chose 
to  receive  Extreme  Unction  and  yield  their  last  breath, 
lying  on  haircloth,  rifld  with  ashes  laid  upon  them,  by  that 
means  to  excite  within  them  sentiments  of  penance,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  inspire  the  assistants  with  similar  feeling& 


I 


in 

m 

tt^^ 

>^tJWr«ffi^H 

^f-  '''^i '. 

'^^^ 

^m\. 

M^ 

18^ 

pl^9 

■fipw^ 

l^i'v; 

CHAPTER    VII. 

OF    HOLY    ORDERS. 


The  five  first  sacraments  are  common  to  all  the  faithful, 
ail  are  bound  to  receive  them  in  the  times  and  circum- 


A8AUSSE. 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


279 


itances  wherein  they  require  such  assistance  :  the  two  fol« 
lowing  are  peculiar  to  two  states  which,  by  their  import- 
ance, and  the  great  obligations  they  impose,  have  need  of 
graces  still  more  powerful.  The  Sacrament  of  Orders 
gives  to  the  Church  the  pastors  by  whom  she  is  governed ; 
it  is  by  the  imposition  of  hands  and  the  accompanying 
prayer  that  they  are  set  apart,  as  it  were,  from  the  rest  of 
the  faithful,  and  receive  the  power  of  announcing  the  Gos- 
pel, of  administering  the  Sacraments,  and  of  offering  up 
the  holy  Sacrifice  ;  the  power,  in  a  word,  of  exercising  the 
sacred  ministry.  Jesus  Christ  instituted  this  Sacrament 
when  he  called  his  Apostles,  and  said  to  them :  "  As  my 
Father  sent  me,  I  also  send  you ;  go,  teach  all  nations,  bap- 
tiring  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost ;  whose  sins 
ye  remit  they  shall  be  remitted,  and  whose  sins  ye  retain, 
they  are  retained:"  and  again,  when  after  having  estab- 
lished the  Sacrifice  of  his  body  and  blood  ;  he  added : 
**  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me." 

Holy  Orders  is,  therefore,  a  Sacrament  which  gives  power 
to  fulfil  the  ecclesiastical  functions,  together  with  grace  to 
exercise  them  in  holiness :  the  Apostles  received  not  this 
power  for  themselves  only,  but  in  order  that  they  might  im- 
part it  to  others.  We  see,  accordingly,  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, that  they  ordained  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons  by 
the  imposition  of  hands  ;  and  we  read  in  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory that  the  first  bishops  established  by  the  Apostles,  or- 
dained others  to  be  their  successors ;  and  this  succession, 
which  has  never  been  interrupted,  will  continue  in  the 
Church  till  the  end  of  ages. 

The  priesthood  is  attained  by  several  degrees  or  diflTerent 
orders.  There  are  four  Orders  which  are  called  minor: 
namely,  those  of  porter,  reader,  exorcist,  and  acolyte ;  and 
three  major ;  namely,  sub-deacon,  deacon,  and  priest.  A 
state  so  holy  requires  great  dispositions  in  those  who  would 
embrace  it ;  the  first  is,  that  he  be  called  thereto,  and  takes  it 
not  upon  himself  to  enter.  If  there  be  no  state  into  which 
ft  is  lawful  to  enter  without  having  consulted  God  to  know 
whether  it  be  one's  vocation,  that  precaution  is  still  more 
necessary  when  the  question  is  of  a  state  whose  functions 


r": 


•/.'  ■• 


'■•;:?*  r '4  *     . 

.■a '.'1     *  •    .  ■ 


!'>•* 

>i;!-, 


280  DUTY    OF    THE    CIIKI8TIAN 

are   so   hoiy  and  so  sublime.     "  It  is  not  you  who  have 
chosen  me,"  said  Christ  to  his  Apostles,  "  but  it  i»  I  vvhc 
have  established  you,  to  the  end  that  ye  may  go  and  beat 
fruit."     The  second  disposition  for  entering  upon  the  eccle 
siastical  state,  is  to  be  inspired  with  zeal  for  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  salvation  of  men  ;  wo  to  them  who  enter  thif 
holy  state  M'ith  merely  human  motives,  consulting  only  in 
tercst  or  amiiition,  and  proposing  only  to  enrich  thems^'Ivei* 
and  be  enal>led  to  live  more  comfortably,  and  in  a  more  re 
spectable  position  ! — The  third  disposition  is  to  be  of  irre 
proachable  morals ;    it  would  be,  indeed,  desirable  if  the 
recijiient  of  Holy  Orders  had  preserved  his  baptismal  inno- 
cence ;  at  least  that  he  may  have  long  before  recovered  it, 
and  led  an  edifying  and  blameless  life.     Finally,  the  fourth 
disposition  is  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace  ;  it  would  be  a  horri- 
ble sacrilege  to  receive  a  sacrament  so  holy  with  a  con- 
science defiled  by  mortal  sin. 

Example. — Do  you  know  what  it  is  to  be  a  priest,  you 
who  smile  with  contempt,  and  are  irritated  by  the  mere 
mention  of  the  word  ?  A  priest  is,  by  virtue  of  his  office, 
the  friend,  the  living  providence  of  all  the  wretched ;  the 
consoler  of  the  afflicted,  the  defender  of  the  unprotected, 
the  support  of  the  widow,  the  father  of  the  orphan,  the  re- 
pairer of  all  the  disorders  and  of  all  the  evils  begotten  by 
your  passions,  and  your  fatal  doctrines.  His  entire  life  is 
but  one  long  and  heroic  course  of  devotion  to  the  happiness 
of  his  fellow-creatures.  Which  of  you  would  consent  to 
exchange,  as  he  does,  the  domestic  joys,  the  pleasures,  Jiiid 
the  wealth  which  men  seek  so  eagerly,  for  obscure  toil, 
painful  duties,  functions  of  which  the  exercise  rends  the  very 
heart,  and  revolts  the  senses,  and  make  so  many  sacrifices 
to  gather  no  other  fruit  than  disdain,  ingratitude,  and  insult. 

You  are  still  fast  asleep  in  your  bed,  when  the  man  of 
charity,  long  before  the  dawn,  has  begun  again  the  daily 
series  of  his  beneficent  labours.  He  has  relieved  the  poor, 
visited  the  sick,  wiped  away  the  tears  of  the  unhappy,  or 
called  forth  those  of  repentance,  instructed  the  ignorant, 
fortified  the  weak,  and  confirmed  in  virtue  souls  whom  the 
storm  of  passion  had  disturbed.     After  a  day  filled  up  with 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


281 


k,,'     , 


flich  actions,  ihe  ievening  comes,  but  it  brings  not  repose, — • 
•ust  at  the  time  when  pleasure  calls  you  to  theatres,  balls, 
md  parties,  some  one  is  hurrying  for  the  priest ;  a  Christian 
♦  as  ro;iched  the  term  of  his  existence,  he  is  dying,  and  per- 
haps of  a  contagious  malady  ;  it  matters  not,  the  good  pas 
tor  will  not  suffer  that  soul  to  depart  this  world  without 
imparting  relief  to  its  anguish,  without  investing  it  with  the 
consolations  of  Hope  and  Faith ;  without  praying  beside 
the  death-bed  to  the  God  who  died  for  that  soul,  and  who 
even  then  gives  it,  in  the  sacrament  of  love,  a  sure  pledge 
of  immortality. 

To  the  eye  of  faith  he  is  more  than  all  this ;  he  is  the 
minister  of  Christ  on  earth,  and  charged,  as  his  represen- 
tative, with  the  exercise  of  functions  which  were  not  even 
confided  to  the  angels. 

Such,  then,  is  the  priest ;  not  such  as  prejudice  and  aver- 
sion would  fain  depict  him,  but  as  he  really  appears  amongst 
you. 


•i*!i 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

ON    THE    SACRAMENT    OF    MATRIMONY. 

Marriage  has  been  instituted  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  when  God  gave  to  man  as  a  companion  the  woman 
whom  he  had  formed  of  one  of  his  ribs,  and  by  a  special 
blessing  granted  unto  them  fruitfulness.  To  render  this 
fii'st  institution  still  more  sacred,  Jesus  Christ  has  raised  it 
to  the  dignity  of  a  sacrament,  attaching  to  it  a  peculiar 
grace  to  secure  that  indissoluble  union,  and  to  sanctify  those 
who  contract  it ;  he  has  rendered  it  the  image  and  the  sign 
of  a  great  mystery,  of  his  intimate  and  eternal  union  with 
his  Church ;  thence,  marriage  has  become  a  source  of  spi- 
ritual blessings  for  those  who  receive  it  with  Christian  dis- 
positions. 

Matrimony  is,  therefor^,  a  sacrament  which  gives  grace 
to  sanctify  the  lawful  companionship  of  man  and  woman. 
It  is  a  certain  truth  that  those  who  contract  marriage  after 
having  consulted  God,  and  with  Christian  intentions,  receive 
through  that  sacrament  graces  to  sanctify  themselves  by  the 


i* 


t::, 


282 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


m 


'it? 


faithful  fulfilment  of  the  duties  of  thtir  state.  Before  de. 
ciding  on  embracing  this  state,  we  sliould  address  our  fer- 
vent  prayers  to  God  that  he  may  make  known  to  us  whothor 
we  are  called  thereto ;  without  that  precaution,  we  would 
contract  rashly  and  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  an  irrevo- 
cable engagement  unblessed  by  him,  and  thereby  exj)ose 
our  salvation  to  imminent  danger.  God  never  fails  to  make 
known  his  will  to  those  who  invoke  him  with  all  their  heart. 
The  advice  of  parents  should  also  be  taken ;  they  seek  the 
advancement  of  their  children,  and  know  better  how  it  is  to 
be  obtained;  and  their  counsel  should  be  followed  rather 
than  a  blind  inclination,  in  an  affair  so  important,  on  which 
depends  our  happiness  for  time  and  for  eternity. 

There  are  three  principal  dispo^tions  for  receiving  the 
sacrament  of  marriage :  the  first  is  to  receive  it  with  a  con- 
science  purified  from  all  mortal  sin,  because  matrmony, 
being  a  sacrament  of  the  living,  the  spiritual  life  of  grace  is 
supposed  to  exist  in  those  who  receive  it.  The  Council  of 
Trent  even  exhorts  persons  who  would  enter  upon  this 
state,  to  approach  the  holy  Eucharist  in  order  to  draw  down 
upon  themselves  the  blessing  of  Heaven.  The  second  dis- 
position is  to  receive  it  with  the  intention  of  doing  the  will 
of  God,  and  serving  him  in  that  state.  We  should  propose 
to  ourselves  to  please  God  in  all  our  actions,  even  the  most 
common  ;  but  much  more  in  making  an  engagement  which 
is  for  life.  "  We  are  the  children  of  saints,"  said  the  young 
Tobias  to  Sarah  his  wife,  "and  we  ought  not  to  marry  like 
the  Pagans,  who  know  not  God."  Let  those  who  think  them. 
selves  called  to  the  marriage  state,  enter  therein  solely  with 
a  view  to  sanctify  themselves,  and  to  fulfil  all  its  obliga- 
tions. The  third  disposition  for  the  sacrament  of  marriage 
is  to  receive  it  with  modesty,  decency,  and  the  other  virtues 
suitiible  to  the  sanctity  of  the  sacrament,  by  carefully  avoid- 
ing all  that  might  infringe  on  the  rules  of  the  most  exact 
propriety.  To  receive  the  nuptial  blessing  with  an  immo- 
dest demeanour,  would  be  to  offeiid  God  at  the  very  foot  of 
his  altar,  and  profane  a  sacrament  which  should  only  be 
approached  with  much  piety  and  respect. 

Married  people  have  four  obligations  to  fulfil :  they  are 
to  live  together  in  a  holy  companionship  and  in  perfect  una 


t 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


28.*^ 


iiimity,  mutually  to  keep   the   conjugal   faith  which   thov 
pledged  to  each  other  hetbre  (tocI's  holy  altar,  to  assist  each 
other  in  every  necessity,  and  finally  to  give  their  children  r 
Christian  education,  teaching  thorn  early  to  pray,  to  God  , 
and  piously  to  perform  the  other  duties  of  religion  ;  oftei 
repeating  to  them  the  maxims  of  the  (xospel,  giving  then 
good  example  in  all  things,  and  watching  over  their  con 
duct  80  as  to  remove  them  from  all  that  could  lead  them  tc 
evil. 

Example. — A  young  physician  of  Paris  received  the  sa- 
crament of  marriage  in  1829,  under  the  m,ost  edifying  cir- 
cumstances. 

He  was  introduced  by  a  friend  to  a  family  much  respected 
for  their  virtues,  and  he  was  soon  permitted  to  hope  for  the 
hand  of  their  only  daughter,  who  was  as  pious  as  the  rest 
of  her  fiimily.  This  young  lady  was  soon  after  engaged  to 
the  doctor,  whose  modesty  equalled  his  learning  and  skill. 
The  nuptial  ceremony  was  soon  after  to  take  place,  when 
the  young  man  called  one  day  and  asked  his  intended 
mother-in-law  if  he  might  not  be  permitted  to  speak  a  few 
words  in  private  to  Mademoiselle  Emilie. — "  It  is  quite  im- 
possible, fiir  ! "  she  replied,  politely,  "  my  daughter  has  not 
been  very  well  these  last  two  days,  and  she  requires  to  he 
left  undisturbed." — "But,  madam!  it  is  a  painful  depriva- 
tion to  me  not  to  be  allowed  to  see  your  daughter ;  I  have 
only  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  her  three  or  four  times  in 
company,  so  that  1  have  not  yet  had  ar.  >.  portunity  of  ex- 
pressing my  own  sentiments,  or  ascertaining  hers." — "  Youi 
entreaties  are  painful  to  me,"  said  the  lady,  "  but  reallv 
you  cannot  see  my  daughter." — "  And  yet  I  have  something 
of  importance  to  say  to  her." — "  In  that  case  I  will  call 
her,  if  you  desire  it,  and  you  can  speak  to  her  in  my  pre- 
sence ;  my  daughter  has  never  been  left  alone  with  any 
man." — "  But  am  not  i  to  be  her  husband  very  soon  ? " — 
"  Then,  sir,  my  daughter  will  be  no  longer  mine  to  controul ; 
but  while  she  is,  J  must  fulfil  my  duty — the  duty  of  a  pru- 
dent, and  Christian  mother." — "Ah,  madam!"  exclaimed 
the  physician,  "  [  find  that  i  must  confide  to  you  my  real 
intentions.     Educated  myself,  by  religious  parents,  I  have 


c    >* 


?t4f-;''    ■ 


1  [!«;•..  I 


tl/i 


^■M 


IB4 


DUTr    OF    THE   CHRISTIAN 


ever  remained  faithful  to  that  holy  religion  which  actuatei 
your  estimable  conduct.  The  indifference  which  unhappiU 
exists  amongst  certain  classes  may  have  very  naturally  in. 
Bpircd  you  with  distrust;  but,  far  from  having  such  senti- 
ments,  I  make  it  my  pride  and  glory  to  follow  in  all  things 
the  dictates  of  Faith,  for  the  more  I  study  them,  the  more 
highly  do  I  esteem  and  respect  them.  If  I  have  insisted  m 
much  on  having  a  private  interview  with  your  daughter,  it 
is  because  I  wished  to  sound  her  dispositions  in  that  respect, 
and  to  beg  of  her  to  prepare  herself  by  a  general  confes- 
ftion  and  the  reception  of  the  holy  Eucharist,  for  receiving 
with  the  nuptial  blessing  nil  the  graces  attached  thereto. 

On  hearing  this,  the  mother  could  not  restrain  her  tears ; 
she  threw  herself  into  the  arms  of  the  virtuous  physician, 
and  said,  as  she  pressed  him  to  her  heart :  "  Well,  my  son, 
we  shall  all  communicate  together;  go  and  see  my  oaugh- 
ter,  and  tell  her  that  I  have  called  you  my  son.  Go,  pious 
young  man,  your  sentiments  assure  me  that  both  you  and 
my  daughter  shall  be  happy/' 

The  excellent  young  man  did  not  stop  there.  Every 
day,  for  eight  days,  he  had  the  holy  sacrifice  offered  up  to 
^obtain  a  blessing  on  his  union.  But  the  most  touching  sight 
of  all  was  to  see,  on  the  day  of  the  marriage,  the  young 
couple  approaching  the  holy  table  together,  with  the  worthy 
father  and  mother  of  the  young  man,  (both  shedding  tears 
of  joy,)  and  the  mother  and  grandmother  of  the  bride,  all 
of  whom  received  the  communion  from  the  hands  of  the 
priest  who  blessed  the  marriage. 

What  a  beautiful  example  for  young  people !  what  a  le8« 
•on  for  so  many  parents  who  are  either  indifferent  or  irreli* 
gious  ! — Ah  !  if  every  mion  resembled  this,  how  happy 
and  how  tranquil  wsuld  society  b«  \ 


W- 


TOWARDS    GOD. 

SECOND    TREATISE. 

ON     PRAYER. 

CHAPTER    I. 

OF    PRAYER    IN    GENERAL. 


885 


ARTICLE    I. 


NECESSITV    OF    PRATER. 


Prayer  is  the  second  means  of  obtaining  grace ;  it  is 
an  elevation  of  the  heart  and  mind  to  God,  oflToring  to  him 
our  homage,  and  begging  of  him  all  that  is  necessary  for 
us.  Prayer  is  an  indispensable  duty,  and  cannot  be  omitted 
without  sin  ;  Jesus  Christ  has  made  it  an  express  command- 
ment, and  the  precept  is  several  times  repeated  in  the  Gos- 
pel :  "  Watch"  said  he,  "  and  pray ;  we  ought  always  to 
pray,  and  not  to  faint." 

Hence,  the  reproach  which  he  makes  to  his  disciples : 
•'  As  yet  ye  have  asked  nothing  in  my  name ;  ask,  and  ye 
shall  receive."  He  himself  has  practised  what  ho  com- 
mands us  to  do,  since  he  often  passed  whole  nights  in 
prayer,  or  rather,  so  to  speak,  his  entire  life  was  one  con- 
tinued prayer.  Christ  had  certainly  no  need  of  praying 
for  himself;  but  he  would  give  us  the  example,  and  thereby 
engage  us  to  pra,t:tise  that  holy  exercise :  we  had  need  that 
he  should  pray  for  us,  and  that  he  should  show  us  the  obli- 
gation of  prayer.  Salvation  is  promised  but  to  Prayer, — it 
is  only  possible  through  prayer,  and  is  granted  only  to  per- 
severance in  prayer.  This  holy  exercise  is  then  of  indis- 
pensable necessity ;  and  even  though  the  Gospel  did  not 
make  it  a  positive  law  to  pray,  and  pray  without  ceasing, 
the  sense  of  our  own  misery  would  alone  suffice  to  prove 
its  necessity.  Do  not  the  ever-present  wants  of  our  souls 
and  bodies  continually  warn  us  to  have  recourse  to  Hin. 


"if  * 


•V     f 


:*.*... 


we 


DUTY    OP    THE    CIIRl«TlA!t 


m 


who  uloiio  can  roniedy  them  ?  Is  it  not  tho  lot  of  the 
wretched  to  !)owail,  and  to  solicit  relief?  Our  indigence 
is  extreme,  and  the  treasurer  which  we  seek  are  of  infinite 
value.  Cirod  is  ready  to  grant  them  to  us,  and  he  not  only 
permits  us  to  ask  them,  but  even  commands  us  to  do  so; 
not  that  he  is  ignorant  of  our  wants;  he  knows  them  better 
than  we  ourselves  do;  but  yet  he  requires  that  wo  should 
eiposu  them  to  him,  to  make  us  desire  with  more  ardour 
the  blessings  ho  has  in  store  for  us,  and  to  render  us  by  that 
very  desire  more  capable  of  receiving  them.  The  desire  of 
the  everlasting  treasures  is  inflamed  by  the  holy  exercise 
of  prayer,  and  tho  more  ardent  that  desire,  tho  more  do  we 
receive  from  God ;  he  gives  food  to  the  hungry ;  and  sends 
those  away  empty  who,  believing  themselves  ricji,  imagine 
that  they  require  nothing  from  him.  Were  God  to  grant 
us  his  favours  without  our  asking,  we  should  be  tempted  to 
attribute  them  to  ourselves ;  but  when,  after  having  folt  our 
misery  and  our  impotence,  we  apply  to  him,  we  then  can- 
not dissemble  to  ourselves  our  entire  dependepce ;  we  are 
compelled  to  acknowledge  that  we  can  do  nothing  without 
him,  and  that  whatever  we  receive  is  the  gift  of  his  pure 
liberality ;  by  this  humble  avowal  of  our  extreme  indigence, 
we  are  disposed  for  receiving  his  most  abundant  blessings. 
Let  us  apply  ourselves,  then,  to  this  holy  exercise ;  let  us 
not  imagine  that,  to  fulfil  this  essential  duty,  it  is  sufficient 
to  employ  a  few  minutes,  and  to  pass  the  rest  of  our  time 
without  thinking  of  God  ;  we  must  frequently  have  recourse 
to  prayer,  and  persevere  therein.  God  chooses  to  be  soli- 
cited,  urged,  importuned  ;  he  never  tires  of  hearing  us;  the 
treasures  of  his  grace  are  infinite,  and  nothing  is  more 
agreeable  to  him  than  to  be  asked  for  them — asked  inces- 
santly. Earthly  kings  do  not  permit  every  one  to  speak  to 
them ;  that  is  a  favour  which  they  grant  but  to  their  cour- 
tiers and  favourites,  and  on  certain  occasions ;  but  it  is  not 
so  with  our  God,  who  suffers  us  to  address  him  at  all  times, 
to  present  to  him  our  wants,  and  implcre  his  assistance; 
this  he  even  exhorts  us  to  do  freely,  and  if  we  fail  to  sup- 
piicate  him,  he  is  even  offended  with  us.  What  an  honour 
it  is  for  a  vile  creature  thus  to  approach  its  God,  and 
( ommunicate  to  him  its  thoughts,  its  uneasiness,  its  desires, 


TOWARDS    OOD. 


287 


i 


witfc  a  holy  freodom,  and  a  tender  cor.fidenco !  Would  it 
not  be  despising  his  goodness  if  wo  profited  not  hy  the 
favour  wliich  he  ever  grants  us  of  hearing  us  at  all  times, 
and  of  interesting  himself  in  all  tii.ii  we  desire? 

£xAMi>LEs. — "  Prayer  is  the  door  by  which  the  Lord  it 
pleased  to  dispense  his  graces,"  said  St.  Theresa.  "  If  this 
door  be  closed,  what  is  to  become  of  us  ?  Alas !"  added 
the,  «  I  have  myself  experienced  this.  I  had  the  misfortune 
of  giving  up  mental  prayer,  and  i  became  every  day  lesf.  of 
a  Christian.  If  I  had  not  resumed  that  holy  exercise,  I 
was  lost  for  ever.  Life  of  St.  fnema. 

David,  although  placed  on  the  throne,  and  busied  with 
the  affairs  of  his  kingdom,  was  accustomed  to  pray  seven 
(imes  in  the  day,  as  he  himself  tells  us  ;  and  h*-'  j»rose  in  th» 
night  to  pray.  Animated  by  the  Spirit  of  (lod.  he  compi>ae(> 
sublime  canticles,  which  are  still  chante'l  in  the  Church  ol 
the  new  law. 

Several  great  princes,  such  as  Cii«»Hamagne,  St.  Louia. 
artd  St.  Henry,  emperor,  religiously  observed  the  practice 
of  reciting  every  day  the  ottice  of  tli«5  Church,  and  also  of 
rising  during  the  night  to  assist  at  Wiatins. 

A  respectable  author,  who  wrote  under  the  influence 
of  the  philosophy  of  the  eighteenth  century,  then  in  ail  its 
novelty,  as  in  the  flush  of  its  haired  of  Christianity,  has 
made  the  following  reflection :  *•  Amongst  the  Romans,  on 
sitting  down  to  table,  the  master  of  the  house  took  a  cup 
of  wine  and  poured  some  drops  oh  the  ground ;  these  liba- 
tions were  the  homage  which  they  rendered  to  Providence. 
The  Christians  have  been  always  accustomed,  before  and 
after  meals,  to  pray  to  God,  thanking  him  for  tne  repast 
which  they  were  about  to  take,  or  which  they  had  taken. 
Is  it  not  very  wrong,  and,  at  the  same  time,  very  ridiculous 
that  in  France,  during  the  Inst  fttty  years,  this  so  n'^tural 
act  of  gratitude  and  of  religion  should  be  regarded  by  peo- 
ple of  the  great  work!  as  a  little  pnerilTj  ceremony,  an  old 
fashion  unworthy  the  observance  of  an  enlightened  age  1 
Our  inferiors,  when  they  learn  from  tmr  example  to  be  un- 
grateful to  God,  will  accustom  them>-  elves  to  be  the  sam* 
♦owards  us." 


*.♦■ 


r.im    i< 


288 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHKISTIAIT 


ARTICLE    II. 

ON    THE    EFFICACY    OF    PKAYER. 

All  is  promised  to  prayer ;  and  when  properly  tnadu,  it 
obtains  every  blessing.  This  is  a  troth  repeated  at  almost 
every  page  of  the  Scri])ture,  and  the  promise  of  Christ  is 
formal  on  that  head.  "  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive ;  seek,  and 
yc  shall  jind ;  knock  and  it,  shall  be  oi)ened  unlo  you. — 
Whatsoever  yc  ask  in  prayer,  helieve  that  ye  shall  receive,  and 
it  shall  be  given  you."  He  is  not  even  content  with  assuring 
us  that  prayer,  if  well  made,  is  always  heard  ;  he  has  even 
ratified  it  with  an  oath  :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father,  in  my  name,  he  will 
give  unto  you."  Finallj',  to  dissipate  all  shadow  of  doubt, 
lie  subjoins  this  proof,  which  is  very  fit  to  revive  the  most 
desponding  heart :  "  Does  a  father  give  a  stone  to  his  son 
when  he  asks  for  bread ;  and  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  give 
him  a  serpent?  If  ye,  then,  perverse  as  ye  are,  know  how 
to  give  good  things  to  your  children,  how  much  more  will 
your  heavenly  father  give  thoni  to  those  who  ask  them  of 
him."  After  a  promise  so  formal,  one  must  have  lost  all 
faith,  before  they  can  doubt  the  efficacy  of  prayer.  If  we 
depend  on  the  promises  of  an  upright  man,  how  much 
more  may  we  rely  on  the  promise,  nay,  the  oath  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  truth  itself !  It  would  be  doing  him  an  in- 
jury to  let  distrust  enter  one's  mind.  Ah !  whence  could 
that  distrust  arise  ?  is  it  from  our  own  un worthiness  ?  But  is 
not  the  goodness  of  God  purely  gratuitous;  and  is  not  the 
very  acknowledgment  of  our  un  worthiness  a  title  whereby 
wc  obtain  access  to  a  mercy  which  the  greatest  crimes  can 
not  exhaust,  and  which  invites  the  greatest  sinners  to  dia\^ 
near  with  confidence  ?  And  is  it  not  in  the  name  of  Jesu 
Christ  that  we  pi'ay  ?  Is  not  our  unworthiness  covered  by 
his  infinite  merits  ?  No  ;  never  has  the  prayer  of  the  sin- 
ner been  rejected,  when  he  humbles  himself  before  God;— 
rt;  ascends  to  the  throne  of  the  Eternal,  and  is  sure  to  draw 
Jown  blessings  on  the  soul  whence  it  arose. 

"  Is  there  any  one,"  says  the  prophet,  "  wlio,  having  in- 
voked the  Lord,  hatli  been  despised?     Our  fathers  cidled 


TOWARDS    GOD.  2S0 

Upon  the  Lord,  and  they  were  delivered ;  thoy  hoj)ed  in 
the  Lord,  and  they  were  not  confounded  :  whosoever  in- 
voketh  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved."  God  is 
honoured  by  this  full,  entire,  and  boundless  confidence ; 
it  ia  a  Komage  rendered  to  his  power,  to  his  goodness, 
and  Jo  his  fidelity  in  his  promises:  it  obtains  all,  for  God 
•an  refuse  it  nothing.  Moses  prays  on  the  mountain,  and 
the  enemies  of  God's  people  are  defeated ;  Judith  pnvys, 
and  her  country  is  delivered ;  the  pious  king  Ezcchias 
prays,  and  God  revokes  the  sentence  of  death  which  he 
had  pronounced  against  him ;  the  publican  prays  in  the 
temple,  and  he  goes  thence  justified ;  the  sinful  woman 
prays,  and  her  sins  are  remitted ;  the  good  thief  prays  on 
the  cross,  and  although  he  was  laden  with  the  most  enor- 
mous  crimes,  he  yet  obtains  pardon.  This  is  the  reason 
why  St.  John  said :  "  That  which  excites  our  confidence 
m  God,  is  that  he  hears  us  in  all  that  we  ask  conformable 
to  his  will ;  for  we  know  that  he  will  hear  us  in  all  what 
soever  we  ask  of  him ;  and  we  know  it,  because  we  have 
already  received  the  favours  which  we  asked."  Let  us 
then,  never  assert  our  own  weakness  when  we  are  exhortea 
to  the  practice  of  virtue,  let  us  never  again  say  that  we  are 
carried  away  by  our  natural  tendency  to  evil,  or  that  we 
cannot  resist  the  violence  of  our  passions.  We  can  i»ray, 
and  prayer  will  sustain  our  feebleness ;  we  can  pray,  and 
prayer  will  fortify  us  against  our  evil  inclinations ;  we 
can  pray,  and  prayer  will  moderate  the  violence  of  our 
passions.  We  have  need  of  grace,  in  order  to  practise 
the  lessons  of  wisdom:  let  us  ask,  and  God  will  grant 
us  that  grace.  "  If  any  one  wants  wisdom,"  says  the 
apostle  St.  James,  "  let  him  ask  it  of  God,  who  givoth 
freely  to  all,  and  wisdom  shall  be  given  him."  No  one 
ever  fails  then  to  obtain  help  from  God,  provided  i*  be 
asked  in  a  fitting  manner,  and  if  we  obtain  it  not,  the 
fault  is  altogether  our  own  :  it  is  because  we  do  not  upply 
to  God  with  that  confidence  which  wins  every  blessing. 


'■■K    ■ 


■■».i 


Example. — St.  John  Chrysostom  fears  not  to  assert  that 
prayer  is  in  some  manner  more  powerful  than  God  him- 
self, since  *t  succeeds  in  bending  his  will,  and  in  making 


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200 


DUTY    or    THE    CKKISTIATf 


him  retract  the  sentence  he  had  pronounced  against  us. 
Of  this  we  have  an  example  :  The  Israelites  having  trans- 
gressed  the  law  of  God,  and  set  up  in  the  desert  a  golden 
calf  as  the  object  of  their  worship,  God,  ever  clement,  seem- 
ed  to  fear  the  efficacy  of  the  intercession  of  Moses.  "  Let 
ine  alone,"  said  he  to  his  servant,  "  seek  not  to  tur^  me 
from  cutting  off  that  rebellious  people."  Nevertheless,  be 
iiig  overcome  by  the  earnest  entreaties  of  Moses,  as  the- 
holy  Scripture  tells  us,  he  did  not  execute  his  intentions 
iu  regard  to  the  Hebrews. 


ARTICLE    III. 


m. 


fit** 


ON  THE  QUALITIES  OF  PRAYER. 

The  great  advantages  of  prayer  depend  altogether  on 
the  way  in  which  we  acquit  ourselves  of  that  duiy.  In 
order  to  pray  well,  we  must  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ 
Jesus,  and  through  his  merits,  for  He  has  only  promised  to 
grant  what  we  should  ask  in  his  name :  hence  it  is  that 
the  Church  terminates  all  her  prayers,  by  these  words : 
•*  Through  Jesus  Christ  our  "Lord"  Secondly,  we  must 
pray  with  attention,  that  is  to  say,  we  must  think  of  God, 
and  the  subject  of  our  petition.  God  hears  more  willing- 
ly the  voice  of  the  heart  than  that  of  the  mouth.  Prayer 
is  an  elevation  of  the  soul  to  God,  so  that  we  do  not  pray 
at  all,  when  during  prayer  we  think  of  anything  but  Him. 
It  is  true  that  distractions,  if  they  be  involuntary,  do  not 
render  the  prayer  faulty  ;  but  God  is  offended  by  those  foi 
which  we  have  given  occasion  through  our  own  fault,  or  if 
we  banish  them  not  as  soon  as  we  have  become  conscious 
of  their  presence.  In  that  case  we  should  merit  the  reproach 
which  God  addressed  to  the  Jews  of  old :  "  This  people 
houoiiieth  me  with  their  lips,  but  their  heart  is  far  from 
me."  Thirdly,  we  must  pray  with  confidence.  Our  Lord, 
when  promising  to  hear  our  prayers,  always  annexes  this 
condition,  that  they  be  accompanied  by  faith ;  he  usually 
said  to  those  v/ho  applied  to  him  for  a  cure  :  "  Be  it 
dwe  unto  thee  according  to  thy  faith."  Our  confidence 
2Uii'^.ot  be  too  firm,  since    it  is  founded  on  the  power  of 


TOWARDS  GOD. 


201 


Gou,  iio  is  able  to  do  infinitely  more  than  we  ask  of  him  ; 
en  his  mercy  which  has  no  bounds ;  and  on  the  infinite 
merits  of  Christ,  in  whose  name  we  pray.  What!  should 
we  address  ourselves  with  all  confidence,  in  our  tempo- 
ral necessities,  to  a  friend  who  is  rich,  powerful,  and  of 
tried 'generosity,  and  yet  fail  to  apply  tn  God  in  even  our 
epiritual  wants,  although  he  commands  and  invites  us  to 
have  recourse  to  Him  as  to  a  good  father!  Is  not  such 
distiust  injurious  to  his  tenderness  ?  What  is  the  kindness 
of  men  compared  to  that  of  God  ? — Finally,  we  are  to  pray 
with  perseverance ;  God,  in  his  inexplicable  wisdom  and 
goodness,  sometimes  defers  granting  us  what  we  ask  of 
him ;  that  delay  is  not  a  refusal,  it  is  only  a  trial.  By 
that  he  wishes  to  show  us  the  value  of  his  gifts,  to  in- 
crease the  ardour  of  our  desires,  and  dispose  us  to  receive 
them  in  greater  abundance.  We  ought  not  then  to  be  dis- 
couraged, or  fail  to  pray ;  we  are  commanded  by  Christ 
to  do  so ;  and  to  make  us  feel  the  necessity  of  persever- 
ance,  he  makes  use  of  two  comparisons :  the  first  is  that 
of  a  %vidow,  who,  by  lier  importunity,  touches  at  last  the 
heart  of  a  cruel  judge,  and  forces  him  to  do  her  justice; 
the  second  is  that  of  a  man,  who,  in  the  middle  of  the  night, 
goes  to  ask  of  his  friend  a  loan  of  three  loaves ;  the  friend 
refuses. to  rise  from  his  bed;  but  the  other  is  not  discour- 
aged, and  continues  to  knock  at  the  door,  redoubling  his  en- 
treaties; his  perseverance  is  rewarded,  and  he  obtains  what 
he  asked.  Our  Lord  concludes  this  parable  by  a  lively 
dnd  earnest  exhortation,  to  pray  without  ceasing,  together 
with  a  formal  promise  to  grant  to  us  v/hatever  we  shall 
ask  with  perseverance.  The  moment  w'len  we  desist  from 
prayer,  is  perhaps  the  very  one  which  God  had  appointed 
for  hearing  us.  Remember  this  well ;  it  is  prayer  that 
asks,  but  only  perseverance  that  obtains. 

Example. — "  It  was,"  says  a  pious  writer,  "  the  custom 
of  a  child  of  quality,  to  offer  his  heart  to  God,  every  morn- 
ing with  much  fervour,  and  this  was  like  the  spirit  of  all 
the  actions  of  the  day.  "  If  I  I'ail,"  said  he,  "  in  this  duty, 
fts  it  has  sometimes  happened,  I  am  dissipated  all  the  rest 
of  the  day."    This  holy  child,  before  he  had  completed  Ms 


ill  4. ' 


292 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


fft 


twelfth  year,  died,  and  with  sentiments  of  the  rarest  j;icty 
*'  My  God ! "  he  exclaimed  from  time  to  time  during  his  lasl 
illness,  "  I  have  made  an  almost  daily  sacrifice  of  my 
heart  to  thee,  I  now  offer  up  my  life  as  the  last  sacrifice  I 
can  make." 

Let  n^-  imitate  this  pious  child,  and  be  exact  like  him  in 
jfferiiig  our  hearts  to  God  every  morning,  that  we  may  die, 
as  he  did,  an  edifying  death.  Arviskkkt. 


CHAPTER    II. 


OF    THE    LOUU  S    PKAYER, 


ARTICLE   I. 

ON    WHAT    IS    TO    BE    ASKED    OF    GOD. 

Our  Lord  has  himself  taught  us  what  we  are  to  beg  of 
God,  and  the  order  in  which  it  is  to  be  asked.  He  has 
even  vouchsded  to  draw  up  the  petition  which  we  are  to 
present  to  the  Father  in  his  name,  and  to  leave  us  an  excel- 
lent form  of  prayer,  which  is  thence  called  The  Lord's 
Prayer.  "Jesus  Christ,"  says  St.  Cyprian,  "amongst 
other  salutary  advices  and  precepts,  which  he  hath  given  to 
his  people  in  order  to  guide  them  to  salvation,  has  pre- 
scribed a  formula  of  prayer,  to  the  end  that  we  may  be  the 
more  readily  heard  by  the  Father,  by  addressing  him  in  the 
very  words  which  his  Son  hath  taught  us.  Let  us,  tliere- 
fore,  pray,"  adds  this  holy  doctor,  "  as  our  master  and  our 
God  hath  directed  us ;  that  prayer  must  be  pleasing  to  God 
which  comes  from  himself,  and  strikes  his  ear  through  the 
words  of  Christ ;  let  the  Father  recognize  in  our  prayer  the 
words  of  his  divine  Son.  Since  Jesus  Christ  is  our  advo- 
eate  with  his  Father,  let  us  make  use  of  the  verv  worus  of 
our  Mediator ;  he  assures  us  that  the  Father  will  grant  what- 
ever is  asked  in  his  name;  how  much  more  willingly  if 
asked,  not  only  in  his  name,  but  in  his  own  very  words!" 
The  Church,  accordingly,  makes  continual  use  of  that  di- 
viiw  prayer ;  by  it  she  begins  and  ends  all  her  oflices ;  she 


ISRNRT. 


TOWAKUS    GOD. 


293 


li..t/-)vi(:c«'s  it  j>i>rticalailv  in  the  holy  Sacrifice  of  the  tuaa^ 
The  iailhrMi  should  recite  it  'luily,  morning  and  evenin<^,  and 
recall  it  often  lo  their  minds  throujjjii  the  course  of  the  day. 

'f'he  Lord's  Prayer  is  cotnposed  of  a  short  preface,  and 
eevon  petitions  or  requests,  of  which  the  three  first  relate  to 
God,  and  the  other  four  concern  ourselves;  it  contains  all 
tliat  ue  can  desire  and  ask  of  God ;  it  is  the  rule  by  whick 
we  are  to  form  our  sentwnents  and  our  desires.  VVo  may,' 
indeed,  ntaUe  use  of  other  words  in  our  prayers,  but  we  are 
to  ask  nothing  of  God  save  what  is  contained  in  this 
model ;  any  request  that  is  not  consistent  with  it,  would  be 
unworthy  a  Christian,  and  could  not  be  agreeable  to  (^od. 
The  [)refac«  consists  of  these  words :  "  Our  Father,  who  art 
in  Iicai:('n,'l  Jesus  Christ  has  thrown  into  these  few  words 
all  that  is  most  capable  of  engaging  God  to  hear  us,  and 
of  inspiring  within  ourselves  sentiments  of  respect,  confi- 
dence, and  love 

We  call  God  our  Father,  for  so  has  Christ  instructed  us 
to  do.  God  is  indeed  our  father  by  creation,  since  He  has 
given  us  life,  and  formed  us  to  his  own  image  ;  he  is  still 
more  our  father  by  the  grace  of  regeneration,  seeing  tiiat  in 
Baptism  he  adopted  us  as  his  children  in  Christ  Jesus. 
"  Consider,"  says  the  Apostle  St.  John,  "  what  love  the 
Father  has  had  for  us,  since  he  would  have  us  called  his 
children,  and  really  be  so!"  "  Because  ye  are  children," 
adds  St.  Paul,  "  God  has  sent  into  your  hearts  the  spirit  of 
his  Son,  who  cries,  "  My  Father,  my  Father  f"  Oh,  name 
full  of  sweetness  and  delight !  what  love,  wha'.  gratitude, 
and  what  confidence  should  it  not  excite  in  your  heart !  If 
it  be  true  that  God  is  your  Father,  can  you  fear  that  your 
prayer  will  be  rejected  when  you  remind  him  of  a  name  by 
which  he  takes  pleasure  in  hearing  us  address  him  ?  What 
does  He  not  grant  to  a  child  who  prays  to  Him,  after  he 
has  received  him  into  the  number  of  his  children  by  a  grace 
which  anticipated  his  prayers  and  desires.  Fear  only  that 
by  your  disobedience  you  may  render  yourse.f  unworthy  to 
be  called  die  child  of  God  ;  that  alone  can  obstruct  tht  How 
of  his  grace  and  the  effect  of  your  prayers.  Each  of  us 
Bays,  wlien  addressing  God  :  "  Our  Father,"  and  not  My 
Father,  because  having  all  the  same  father,  and  expecting 


■Mi' 


*    I  '1*'  J.  ' 

MA'':-- 


.C4 


m 


294  DUTY  OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

from  him  the  same  inheritance,  we  are  not  only  to  pray  fop 
ourselves,  but  for  all  the  faithful,  who  are  our  brethren.  By 
that  we  understand  that  it  is  not  in  our  ovrn  name  we  pray, 
but  in  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  union  with  the  whole  body 
of  His  Church,  whose  members  we  are.  We  add :  "  Wha 
art  in  heaven"  for  although  God  is  every  where  in  his  im- 
mensity, we  nevertheless  consider  heaven  as  the  throne  of 
his  glory ;  it  is  in  heaven  that  he  puts  forth  all  his  magni- 
licence,  and  reveals  himself  fully  to  his  elect  without  the 
shadow  of  a  cloud  to  obscure  his  brightness.  It  is  to  hea- 
ven that  we  ourselves  are  called  ;  heaven  is  our  country, 
and  the  inheritance  destined  for  us  by  our  Father.  When 
we  kneel  then  in  prayer,  let  us  raise  our  thoughts  and  our 
desires  to  heaven  ;  let  us  unite  with  the  society  of  blessed 
spirits,  and  excite  in  our  hearts  the  hope  and  the  desire  of 
possessing  God. 

Examples. — "  It  is  now,"  said  St.  Francis  of  Assissiutn, 
after  having  been  disinherited  by  his  father  because  of  his 
great  liberality  towards  the  poor,  "It  is  now  that  I  can 
indeed  sav :  *  Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven.' " 

Oh !  how  noble  is  the  state  and  quality  of  a  Christian ! — 
God  is  his  Father ! 

A  certain  young  shepherd  had  got  a  habit  of  praying 
while  he  tended  his  flock.  Being  asked  if  he  did  not  some- 
times  feel  weary  of  remaining  so  long  alone  in  the  fields, 
he  answered  that  his  Pater  served  to  shorten  the  davs  and 
make  them  pass  away  pleasantly,  because  he  founa  it  a 
never-failing  source  of  consoling  thoughts  and  good  senti- 
ments, so  that  at  times  it  took  him  a  whole  week  to  medi- 
tate upon  it  from  beginning  to  end.  M.  de  La  Palme. 

St.  Hugh,  bishop  of  Grenoble,  having  fallen  sick,  did 
nothing  else  for  a  whole  night,  but  recite  the  Lord's 
Prayer.  The  servant  who  waited  upon  him  thought  it  ne- 
cessary to  represent  to  him  that  the  continual  repetition  of 
that  pi-uyor  for  so  long  a  time,  would  certamly  do  him 
harm.  He  replied  :  "  No  such  thing  :  the  repetition  of  a 
prayer  so  sweet  cannot  do  me  any  harm,  but  on  the  con« 
trary,  I  feel  it  doing  me  good."  Lasaussk. 


TOWARDS   GOD. 


ARTICLE  II. 


HALLOWED    BE    THY    NAME. 


295 


It  is  very  proper  that  our  first  desire  and  our  firs  petition 
Bhould  have  the  glory  of  God  for  their  object^  If  we  are 
liis  children,  nothing  should  be  dearer  to  us  than  the  honour 
and  glory  of  our  Father.  We  commence,  then,  by  begging 
that  his  name  may  be  hallowed,  that  is  to  say,  honoured 
and  glorified.  The  name  of  God  is  of  itself  holy,  and  can 
acquire  no  new  degree  of  sanctity ;  but  it  is  frequently  dip- 
honoured  by  the  discourse  and  by  the  conduct  of  men.  What 
we  ask  by  these  words  is  that  the  holy  name  of  God  may 
])e  known,  praised,  and  adored  by  all  his  creatures,  and  that 
every  tongue  may  bless  him;  that  all  the  universe  may  ren- 
der to  his  divine  Majesty  that  homage  which  is  due  to  him, 
and  that  his  glory  may  extend  throughout  all  the  countrier 
of  the  earth.  There  are,  besides,  infidel  nations  who  know 
nothing  of  God ;  we  pray  him  to  draw  them  forth  from  the 
darkness  in  which  they  are  enveloped,  and  to  call  them  to 
tlie  admirable  light  of  the  Gospel.  There  are  heretics,  too, 
who  know  him,  but  who  worship  him  not  as  he  would  be 
worshipped ;  we  beg  that  they  may  renounce  their  errors, 
that  they  may  recognize  the  truth,  and  that  they  may  return 
to  the  bosom  of  that  true  Church,  beyond  whc^e  pale  there 
is  no  salvation.  Finally,  there  are  bad  Christians  who  do 
not  serve  God,  but  outrage  him  by  their  sins,  profaning  and 
blaspheming  his  awful  name ;  we  pray  that  they  may  be 
converted  to  God  by  sincere  repentance,  and  that.they  may 
begin  to  glorify  him  by  an  edifying  life.  We  pray,  even, 
for  the  just,  who  already  honoui-  the  name  of  God  by  their 
virtues,  to  the  end  that  they  may  increase  and  persevere  even 
to  the  end  in  righteousness ;  but  what  we  ought  more  than 
all  to  desire  is,  that  ourselves  may  hallow  the  name  of  God, 
by  consecrating  our  entire  life  to  glorify  him  and  cause  him 
to  be  glorified  by  others.  We  hallow  the  name  of  God  by 
our  thoughts  in  humbling  ourselves  protbundly  before  the 
divine  Majesty,  in  never  thinking  of  God  nor  of  the  things 
of  God  but  with  profound  respect  and  religious  veneration. 
We  sanctify  the  name  of  God  by  our  words,  in  never  speak- 


::.v\' 


I 


'    4    I 


J*>- 


1.  .J. 
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<r.-:^:.<* 


200 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


U)g  of  Him  but  with  a  sentiment  of  interior  adoration,  and 
with  a  holy  awe  and  fear.  We  hallow  it  by  our  actions 
in  leading  an  exemplary  life,  whereby  we  incite  others  to 
praise  God  and  serve  him.  We  should,  therefore,  when 
repeating  these  words — Hallowed  he  thy  name — have  a  sin- 
cere desire  of  promoting  the  glory  of  God  as  much  as  we 
possibly  can ;  of  inducing  others  to  honour  him,  and  of  in- 
spiring  them  by  our  discourse  and  example  with  a  love  of 
virtue,  and  a  taste  for  piety.  Without  this  desire,  our  heart 
would  belie  our  mouth,  and  our  words  would  bear  witness 
against  us,  since  wo  would  not  desire  that  which  we  ap- 
peared to  ask.  How  would  it  be  if,  while  begging  of  God 
mat  his  name  may  be  hallowed,  we  were  of  the  number  of 
those  who  incite  others  to  offend  him ! 


Example. — A  well-reared  child  cannot  refrain  from  bless 
ing  the  name  of  his  father ;  all  his  pleasure  is  in  hearing 
him  praised ;  as  to  see  him  despised  or  spurned  would  give 
him  the  greatest  pain.  It  is  thus  that  a  Christian  should 
act  towards  God ;  his  heart  is  animated  with  zeal  for  the 
glory  of  'his  Master ;  the  indifference  of  some  afflicts  him, 
and  the  blasphemy  of  the  impious  freezes  his  soul  with 
horror. 


ARTICLE   III. 


lA 


■•'H 


THY    KINGDOM    COME. 

By  these  words,  thy  kingdom  come,  we  ask  not  that  Gtfd 
may  possess  supreme  power  over  all  creatures, — that  supre- 
macy belongs  to  him  necessarily  and  essentially ;  so  that  none 
may  quit  or  escape  from  his  domination.  But  there  is  an- 
other kingdom, — a  region  of  grace  with  which  we  ought  to 
co-operate,  and  which  God  makes  depend  on  our  consent; — 
a  spiritual  kingdom,  wherein  the  soul,  anticipated  and  as- 
sisted by  grace,  obeys  voluntarily  and  willingly  all  the  inspi- 
rations of  God,  conforms  itself  in  all  things  and  without  re* 
serve  to  his  good  pleasure,  executes  all  his  orders  with 
fidelity,  and  has  no  other  rule  of  action  than  his  law  and 
his  divine   commandments  — a  reign  in  M'hich  the  heart 


^^■m 


ive  IS  an- 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


*jsn 


fftves  itself  up  to  God,  that  he  may  possess  it  wholly,  thai 
be  may  goveni  it  as  he  pleases,  detuchiiig  it  from  all  earthly 
affectiun,  and  from  all  human  attachment.  Such  is  the 
kingdom  which  we  beg  of  God  to  establish  vvitliin  ue. 
There  is  a  kingdom  of  glory  where  God  has  prepared  for 
his  elect  an  immortal  crown,  where  he  gives  himself  to  thena 
that  they  may  possess  him  for  ever,  where  he  pours  upon 
them  the  plenitude  of  his  riches  and  treasures,  where  h* 
intoxicates  them  with  the  fulness  of  his  blessings  and  with 
ri,  torrent  of  delight,  where  they  reign  with  him  for  ever  and 
ever.  This  is  the  kingdom  which  we  desire  to  see.  What 
we  ask,  then,  is  that  God  may  reign  for  the  future  over  our 
hearts  by  grace,  so  that  we  may  one  day  reign  with  him  in 
his  glory.  In  making  this  petition,  we  ought  sinceiely  to 
desire  that  the  reign  of  sin,  the  dominion  of  the  passions 
may  be  destroyed  within  us,  and  that  our  mind,  heart,  and 
body  may  be  submissive  to  God,  so  that  He  may  be  our 
sovereign  and  only  master.  If  we  are  governed  by  bad 
habits  and  enslaved  by  vice,  we  must  bewail  that  unhappy 
servitude,  we  must  desire  tc>  break  our  bonds  asunder,  and 
enter  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  God  ;  we  must  ele- 
vate our  thoughts  and  our  desires  above  the  earth,  which  is 
for  us  but  a  place  of  banishment ;  so  that  we  may  sigh  after 
our  own  country,  where,  in  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  bliss, 
we  shall  reign  with  Christ.  This  ought  to  be  the  object  of 
our  hopes  and  desires,  the  consolation  of  our  toils  and 
troubles.  The  life  of  man  so  short  in  its  duration,  is  filled 
with  many  miseries.  How  can  we  be  attached  to  this  mis- 
erable life, — we  who  are  destined  for  life  eternal  ?  How 
can  we  apprehend  the  separation  from  this  mortal  and  cor- 
ruptible body,  which  prevents  us  from  seeing  God,  and  from 
joining  the  society  of  the  blessed  spirits?  What  greatei 
good  could  happen  to  us  than  to  quit  this  earthly  prison, 
and  to  go  forth  from  this  visible  world  wherein  we  are  ex- 
posed to  so  many  dangers,  where  we  are  surrounded  b^ 
bnares,  and  at  every  moment  run  the  risk  of  being  lost  !f 
A  good  Christian  has  ever  before  his  eyes  the  reward  which 
he  expects ;  he  looks  upon  himself  as  a  traveller  here  be- 
low ;  he  is  already  a  citizen  of  heaven  through  ihe  liveUnost 
of  his  faith  and  of  his  hope :  sitting  by  the  rwem  of  Babj 


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296 


DUTY    OF   THB    CHRISTIAN 


Ion,  he  bitterly  weeps  over  the  remembrance  of  that  hea- 
venly Jerusalem,  which  is  his  true  country ;  he  often  lifla 
up  his  eyes  to  that  holy  mountain,  the  dwelhng  of  peace, 
the  lot  of  his  inheritance,  where  Christ  is  to  crown  him 
with  glory  and  render  him  eternally  happy. 


Example. — "  The  ?088  of  my  wealth  is  of  small  conse* 
quence  to  me,"  said  a  holy  martyr  of  the  faith ;  "  heaven 
remains  to  me,  and  is  the  true  inheritance  of  my  Father ; 
n4Mie  can  take  it  from  me ;  in  a  moment  I  am  to  take  pos- 
session of  it." 


ARTICLE    IV. 

THY  WILL  BE  DONE  ON  EARTH  AS  IT  IS  IN  HEAVEN. 

In  order  to  obtain  from  our  heavenly  Father  the  inherit- 
ence  which  he  reserves  for  us  and  the  kingdom  which  is  to 
be  our  portion,  we  must  do  his  will.  Our  Lord  himself 
tells  us  so,  in  the  gospel :  "  Not  every  one  who  saith  to  me 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  bat 
they  who  do  the  will  of  my  Father."  There  is  in  God  a 
will  which  is  the  rule  of  our  duties,  by  which  He  com- 
mands good,  and  forbids  evil :  it  was  this  will  that  the  Pro- 
I^et  desired  to  execute  when  he  said :  "  Teach  me  to  do 
tliy  will,  make  me  walk  in  the  way  of  thy  commandments, 
give  to  my  heart  a  love  for  thy  holy  ordinances."  This 
divine  will  is  manifested  to  us  in  the  commandments  of 
God  and  of  the  Church,  and  in  the  admonitions  of  our 
superiors.  Thus,  in  saying  to  God :  Thy  will  he  done  on 
earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,  we  ask  of  him  grace  to  observe  his 
Law,  to  obey  the  Church  and  all  who  are  placed  over  us; 
we  desire  that  our  obedience  may  be  as  perfect  as  is  that  of 
the  angels  and  the  blest  in  heaven.  In  heaven,  all  obey 
God,  with  promptness,  with  punctuality,  and  with  eager- 
ness. Is  it  thus  that  we  obey  him?  Are  we  faithful  in 
oi)serving  hSii  commandments  ?  Are  we  submissive  to  those 
who  representing  him,  have  authority  over  us  ?  Yet  this 
prayer  is  not  seiiously  made  but  when  the  heart  agrees 
with  the  tongue  ;  it  would  be  to  .speak  falsely  to  God  if  WB 
asked  of  him  with  our  lips  that  which  the  heart  does  notdesica 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


599 


There  is  a  will  of  God  which  is  the  cause  of  the  cvonta 
of  life :  all  that  happens  in  the  world  is  regulated  hy  the 
will  of  God,  and  it  depends  not  on  us  cither  to  arrest  or 
delay  their  course;  our  duty  with  rv'gard  to  this  di'i  .>  will 
IS  to  adore  it,  to  submit  to  it,  to  accept  with  re.sig;i.itioii 
the  ills  which  it  is  pleased  to  send  us ;  and  to  receive  as 
from  the  hand  of  a  father,  the  rtrokes  it  may  intlicl  upon 
us.  God  permits  these  evils  to  befall  us  because  ho  has 
merciful  designs  upon  us.  If  he  sends  iis  afflictions,  it  is 
because  he  wishes  to  save  us,  and  that  they  may  li"lp  to 
expiate  our  sins.  Hence  it  is  rather  in  kindness  than  in 
justice  that  God  punishes  us  in  tliis  life,  which  m.i  le  the 
Apostle  say  that  he  chastises  those  whom  ho  loves  and 
strikes  those  whom  he  adopts  as  his  children,  thereby  treat- 
ing them  as  such  ;  for,  "  what  child  is  not  chastised  hy  his 
father  ?'*  What  we  ask,  then,  of  God  by  the  words,  thy 
will  he  done,  is  that  we  may  endure  with  entire  submission 
alj  the  trials  wherewith  he  visits  us ;  that,  whatever  hap- 
ppiis,  he  may  always  find  us  patient,  and  resigned,  and  per- 
fectly conformed  both  in  mind  and  heart  to  the  decrees  of 
his  Providence.  We,  therefore,  can  only  say  this  j)rayei 
well  by  renouncing  our  own  will,  or  endeavouring  to  re- 
nounce it;  nothing  is,  in  fact,  more  advantageous  for  us 
than  to  subject  ourselves  to  the  will  of  God.  Man  has 
fallen  solely  by  preferring  his  own  will  to  that  of  God,  and 
be  can  only  be  saved  by  preferring  the  divine  will  to  his 
own.  "  Take  away  self-will,"  said  St.  Bernard,  "  and 
there  will  be  no  more  hell."  Our  Lord  has  set  us  the  exam- 
ple of  this  perfect  conformity  to  the  will  of  God :  "  I  came 
into  the  world,"  says  He,  "  not  to  do  my  own  will,  but  the 
will  of  my  Father ;"  and  again,  "  my  meat  is  to  do  the  will 
of  Him  who  sent  me."  In  fact  the  entire  life  of  our  }>iessed 
Kanour  was  but  the  exact  fulfilment  of  the  orders  of  hit 
I'ather :  if  he  was  born  in  a  stable,  if  he  passed  his  youth 
l'»  a  most  humiliating  obscurity,  and  his  latter  years  in  the 
junctions  of  a  painful  ministry,  it  was  because  his  Father 
sent  him,  and  that  all  his  proceedings  were  based  on  the 
orders  he  had  received  from  Him  ;  finally,  if  he  died  the 
-nost  ignominious  of  deaths,  it  was  because  he  would  have 
liie  will  of  his  Father  accornplished,  rather  than  his  own. 


I. 


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DUTY    OF    THE    CIIHIHTIAN 


\']\.%  ni'LE. — "  Obey  the  decrees  of  the  rulers  of  thf 
woiM!  *  said  the  pajr.'iu  judges  to  the  early  mirtyra; 
"  ol)oy,  or  we  will  deliver  yon  up  to  the  flar.ies,  to  the 
beast!,"  6cc.  "We  also  have  a  Law,"  ro.Oied  thu  generous 
coniliata'ts  for  the  faith,  "  and  that  law  is  the  will  of  God; 
it  forhids  us  to  adore  idols,  and  decrees  that  wo  should  re* 
main  firm  in  the  faith,  and  faithful  to  our  duties.  You  j)roni- 
fae  US  the  riches  of  this  world  if  wo  obey,  but  we  des{>ist 
them  ;  wo  seek  only  the  treasures  of  heaven." 


Am 


mm 


Wm 


\RTICLE    V. 

GIVE    US    THIS    DAY    OUR    DAILY    BRiiAP 

After  the  three  first  petitions,  which  relate  to  the  ^lory 
of  (jod,  we  ask  of  our  heavenly  Father  all  that  is  necessary 
for  the  daily  life  of  the  body  and  of  the  soul.  God  is  the 
sourre  of  all  good,  and  it  is  He  who  provides  for  all  our 
wants  both  in  the  order  of  nature  and  in  that  of  grace. 
We  are  all  before  him  as  poor  beggars,  having  nothing  hut 
what  we  receive  from  his  bountiful  hand.  "  All  creatures," 
says  the  prophet,  speaking  of  God,  "  all  creatures  expect 
from  you  the  fo  jd  which  you  give  them  in  due  season  :  you 
open  your  hands  and  they  are  replenished  with  your  gifts." 
The  lich  themselves  are  obliged  to  ask  their  bread  from  day 
to  day,  to  acknowledge  that  all  they  possess  is  from  the 
hand  of  God,  that  they  hold  it  from  his  liberality,  and  that 
they  may  lose  it  in  a  thousand  ways  if  he  preserve  it  not 
for  them.  Let  us  observe  that  we  ask  of  God,  not  super- 
fluous riches,  not  the  means  of  satisfying  our  sensuality  or 
our  pride,  but  merely  our  bread,  that  is  to  say,  what  is 
absolutely  necessary  for  our  sub  w-.tci-je,  according  to  our 
state  ;  again,  wo  are  only  to  ask  It  fr>  •  "'  •  prest  ^ay,  for 
Our  Lord  forbids  us  to  be  anxioa?  lOr  ihe  morrow,  which 
we  are  not  sure  of  seeing ;  He  wills  that  we  should  repose 
on  his  Providence,  and  that  every  day  we  should  have  re 
course  to  him,  being  well  assured  that  we  shall  every  day 
find  him  a  good  father,  ever  disposed  to  grant  to  his  children 
v'lateve  •  is  necessary  for  them  :  "  Be  not  solicitous,"  says 
iie  himf'eif :  "  as  to  where  you  shall  find  eating  and  drink 


TOWARDS  GOD  801 

ing  for  the  support  of  your  life,  nor  garments  to  cover  your 
body;  your  rfitht^r  who  i-  in  lieaven  knows  tluit  you  \mv% 
need  of  all  these  tilings.  Hav  no  «are  for  the  morrow: 
sufficient  for  tli  >  day  .s  '  <"  evil  tliereoi."  Thi.  oiifidouoe 
in  Providence  nmst  not,  howev*  '*,  make  us  idit  and  prd- 
Bumptuous;  (rod  will  not  favour  tht*  i  dolent;  but  .»  vsill!! 
that  we  should  do  all  that  depfnuis  on  us,  and  when  w  have 
done  our  utmost,  wo  are  to  co  Ide  in  lim,  and  to  reckon 
then  on  the  inexhaustible  treasur.  '  of  his  ProvidtMice.  The 
manna  was  given  daily  to  the  Isi  -lites  in  the  desert,  and 
during  forty  years  it  never  once  lailed  them  ;  so  much  1  >r 
the  wants  of  the  body. 

We  have  also  a  soul  which  requires  i  >irituai  nourishment, 
and  it  is  this  bread  of  the  soul  that  we  chiefly  ask  in  this 
prayer.  The  food  of  our  soul  is  the  woi  d  of  God,  his  di- 
vine grace,  and  the  holy  Eucharist. 

The  word  of  God  nourishes  our  soul ;  streifgthons  tlw 
just  and  makes  them  advance  in  virtue  ;  it  heals  sinners 
and  leads  them  back  to  the  life  of  gr  ice ;  it  is  the  usual 
means  of  which  God  makes  use  to  infuse  in  >t  the  soul  and 
increase  therein  the  knowledge  and  the  lov  of  tiie  truths 
of  salvation.  We  ought,  therefore,  never  to  neglect  hear- 
ing the  word  of  God ;  we  ought  to  hear  it  vith  respect, 
with  attention,  and  with  a  desire  to  profit  by  it. 

Grace  is  as  necessary  for  the  life  of  the  sou  as  material 
bi'ead  is  for  that  of  the  body  ;  it  is  grace  that  upports  the 
soul,  strengthens  it,  and  makes  it  act ;  we  have,  therefore, 
continual  need  of  it.  God  wills  that  we  should  ask  it,  and 
that  every  day  we  should  renew  that  petition. 

Finally,  the  holy  Eucharist  is  the  food  of  our  soul,  as 
Jesus  Christ  assures  us  :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  if 
ye  eat  not  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  not  hia 
blood,  you  shall  have  no  life  in  you ;  I  am  the  living  bread 
which  came  down  from  heaven  ;  he  who  eateth  this  bread 
ahall  have  life  eternal."  The  first  Christians  received  daily 
this  celestial  bread,  and  it  were  to  be  wished  that  we  might 
da  as  they  did,  because  the  soul  faints  away  and  dies  when 
It  rctM'i"  es  not  its  proper  nourishment ;  but  as  the  heart 
must  be  pure  in  order  to  receive  the  holy  Eucharist,  when 
we  b«'g  of  God  to  give  us  daily  the  bread  of  life,  we  ask 


'  ' ' 


I 


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■■■,,  * 


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■  *'  ■  -  i  ■  * 


802 


DUTY    OF   THJB    CHBISTIAIf 


of  Him  that  purity  of  heart,  which  may  fit  us  to  ^ommuni- 
cate  with  piofit.  , 

Example. — "  Lord  ! "  said  king  Solomon,  "  give  m« 
neither  poverty  nor  riches ;  condemn  me  not  to  absolute 
indigence,  lest  my  natural  weakness  should  lead  me  to  de- 
spair ;  neither  give  me  abundant  wealth,  lest,  that  being 
puffed  up  with  pride,  I  might  fancy  myself  able  to  dispense 
with  thy  help !  Give  me  only  wherewith  to  live,  and  teach 
me  that  it  is  from  thy  bounty  I  have  all  that  I  possess,  so 
that  I  may  continually  give  praise  to  thee,  who  art  the  Lord 
Diy  God!  

ARTICLE    VI. 

FORGIVE    US    OUR   TRESPASSES,    AS    WE    FORGIVE    THEM    WHO 

TRESPASS    AGAINST    US.  ^ 

A  God  so  good,  a  Father  so  tender  should  ever  find  in 
his  children  a  perfect  docility  to  his  holy  Law,  together  with 
a  constant  and  inviolable  fidelity  ;  and  nothing  can  be  more 
just  than  that  the  sentiments  and  the  conduct  of  men  should 
be  such  towards  their  God.  But  they  offend  him  every 
day  :  the  greater  number  abandon  him  entirely,  violate  his 
Commandments  in  the  most  essential  points,  and  outrage 
him  by  the  greatest  crimes.  Even  the  just  themselves  fre- 
quently fall  into  faults  which  afflict  the  Holy  Ghost ;  they 
do  not  indeed  commit  those  crimes  which  give  death  to  the 
Boul  and  separate  it  from  God ;  but  they  do  every  day 
things  which  displease  him.  "  There  is  no  man  free  from 
sin ;  and  if  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  are  liars,  and 
the  truth  is  not  in  us."  These  are  the  words  of  the  Apos- 
tie  St.  John.  Hence  it  is  that  our  divine  Saviour,  knowing 
the  weakness  of  our  nature,  has  made  it  a  duty  foi-  us  tc 
ask  pardon  of  God  every  day,  for  our  offences.  He  ha^ 
only  introduced  this  petition  into  the  prayer  he  has  taughi 
us,  because  he  desires  to  forgive  us ;  he  would  never  have 
prescribed  it  had  he  not  intended  to  grant  our  request  But 
in  order  to  make  this  prayer  efficacious  we  must  at  least 
commence  by  repenting  of  our  sins,  for  it  is  a  principle  in 
religion,  that  without  contrition,  no  sin,  whether  mortal  or 


^•^^v 


HEM   WHO 


TOWABDS    60D. 


308 


renial,  can  be  remitted.  God  only  pardons  those  who  are 
sorry  for  having  offended  him,  and  are  firmly  resolved  to  do 
80  no  more.  But  we  must  not  dispense  with  praying,  under 
pretence  of  not  having  these  dispositions :  we  must,  on  th« 
contrary,  ask  it  of  God.  In  saying  to  him  :  "  Forgive  its 
mir  trespasses,  we  beg  of  him  the  grace  of  sincere  repent 
ance,  to  the  end  that  by  that  means  we  may  obtain  pardon 
of  our  sins.  When  we  have  this  disposition  we  are  sure 
of  being  favourably  heard,  and  of  attaining  to  a  perfect 
reconciliation  with  God.  But  would  it  be  just  to  desire 
that  God  should  remit  our  offences,  whilst  we  pardon  not 
our  neighbour  for  the  offences  he  may  have  committed 
against  us  ?  Would  it  be  reasonable  to  expect  that  God 
would  be  indulgent  towards  us,  and  forgive  us  the  injury  we 
have  done  him,  if  we  still  wished  to  revenge  on  others  the 
insults  we  have  received  from  them.  We  every  day  say  to 
God :  Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  them  who 
trespass  against  its.  The  pardon  which  we  grant  to  others 
is,  therefore,  the  measure  of  that  which  we  ask  of  God  for 
our  own  faults ;  if  we  forgive  our  neighbour,  God  will  for- 
give us ;  if  we  refuse  to  pardon  others,  so  also  will  God 
refuse  to  pardon  us.  To  make  this  request  and  yet  retain 
in  our  hearts  any  resentment  towards  those  who  have  of- 
fended us,  is  as  much  as  to  say  to  God :  "  Do  not  forgive 
me,  because  I  will  not  forgive  those  who  have  annoyed  me , 
revenge  yourself  on  me,  because  I  will  be  revenged  on 
them."  This  would  be  pronouncing  the  sentence  of  our 
own  condemnation,  by  asking  for  ourselves  the  treatment 
which  we  give  to  others. 


x* 


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Example. — St.  John,  the  almoner,  hearing  that  a  certain 
nobleman  refused  to  pardon  an  enemy,  sent  for  him,  and 
requested  him  to  assist  at  the  mass  which  he  was  just  about 
to  celebrate.  As  it  was  usual  for  every  one  present  to  re- 
cite the  Lord's  prayer,  the  saint  made  a  sign  to  the  person 
terving  mass,  to  stop  at  the  words :  "  Forgive  us  our  tres- 

passes  as  we  forgive" and  the  nobleman  repeated  them 

alone  ;  then  the  saint  turning  towards  him,  said  with  firm- 
nesd  :  "  What  have  you  done  ?  you  have  pronounced  your 
own  sentence ;  you  asked  of  God  not  to  forgive  you,  since 


'    t: 


^■1  ".-:•: 


aM 


DUTY  OF  'X   'E  CHBIBTIAN 


you  do  not  forgive  !  The  nobleman,  struck  with  these 
words,  prostrated  himself  before  the  altar,  and  promised 
all  that  the  saint  required,  so  that  his  reconciliation  wai 
perfect.  

ARTICLE   VII. 

AND   LEAD   US   NOT   INTO   TEMPTATION. 

It  is  not  enough  that  the  mercy  of  God  forgives  us  those 
sins  w^iich  we  have  already  committed;  we  require  that 
his  grace  should  preserve  us  from  sinning  again.  We  are 
every  moment  exposed  to  sin  by  reason  of  the  many  temp- 
tations  which  assail  us,  and  hence  it  is  that  we  implore  the 
mercy  of  God,  saying  to  him :  "  Lead  us  not  into  tempta- 
tion ;  we  supplicate  him  that,  having  respect  to  our  weak- 
ness, he  may  ward  off  temptation  from  us,  or  otherwise  give 
us  grace  to  surmount  it.  The  world,  the  devil,  and  our 
own  concupiscence  conspire  for  our  destruction.  The 
world  tempts  us  by  its  bad  example,  by  its  discourse,  and 
by  its  maxims ;  the  devil  assails  us  by  impressing  our  senses 
and  our  imagination  with  images  which  suggest  to  us  bad 
thoughts  and  evil  desires.  There  is  no  stratagem  which  he 
does  not  employ  in  order  to  effect  our  downfall ;  he  prowls 
incessantly  around,  seeking  to  devour  us.  t'inally,  concu 
piscence,  that  is  to  say  the  inclination  to  evil  which  is  born 
with  us,  is  ever  prompting  us  to  sin ;  it  follows  us  every- 
where ;  it  is  with  us  like  a  domestic  enemy,  and  furnishes 
the  world  and  the  devil  with  arms  to  use  against  us  with 
advantage.  To  be  tempted  is  not  a  sin,  but  is  often,  on  the 
contrary,  an  occasion  of  merit  by  means  of  the  resistance 
we  oppose  to  it ;  but  it  is  a  sin  to  consent  to  the  temptation. 
If,  by  the  fear  of  offending  God,  we  repress  the  first  move- 
ments which  arise  within  us,  and  if  we  constantly  refuse  to 
consent  to  the  evil  thing,  there  is  no  sin ;  that  resistance  is 
even  an  act  of  virtue  which  God  will  one  day  reward ;  but 
if  we  dwell  on  it  with  complacency,  after  its  presence  is  ob- 
served, then  it  is  a  sin,  and  we  become  guilty.  Although 
the  temptation  is  in  itself  no  sin,  yet  it  is  always  attended 
with  danger.  Nevertheless,  we  ask  not  of  God  to  be  freed 
from  all  temptation ;  it  is  inevitable  in  this  life,  which  is  a 


th  these 
promised 
tion  was 


us  those 

aire  that 

We  are 

ly  temp. 

plore  the 

>  templet' 

ir  weak- 

ivise  give 

and  our 

1.      The 

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ir  senses 

9  us  bad 

vhich  he 

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urnishes 

us  with 

,  on  the 

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ptation. 

t  move- 

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;  is  ob^ 

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ttended 

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ch  is  a 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


doa 


eoB  tinual  warfare :  the  greatest  saints  have  been  tempted. 
Our  Lord  himself  chose  to  be  tempted,  in  order  to  teach  us 
how  to  resist  and  overcome  temptation,  and  render  it  meri- 
torious to  us.  What  we  ask  is,  that  we  may  not  be  aban- 
doned to  temptation.  We  are  so  weak,  that  the  slightest 
assault  of  the  tempter  is  able  to  overthrow  us ;  all  our  re- 
•ource  is  in  the  grace  of  God ;  let  us  then  beg  of  him  to 
spare  us  those  grievous  temptations  under  which  we  might 
sink ;  and  that,  in  all  those  whereby  he  is  pleased  to  try  us, 
ho  may  vouchsafe  to  sustain  us,  and  give  us  strength  to 
come  otr  victorious.  We  have  nothing  to  fear  with  the  help 
and  protection  of  God ;  he  is  powerful  enough  to  bring  us 
safe  through  every  temptation,  and  even  make  them  profit- 
able unto  us.  This  he  will  do  if  we  watch  over  ourselves 
so  as  not  to  expose  ourselves  rashly  to  danger,  and  if  we 
beg  the  assistance  of  his  grace  in  those  temptations  which 
we  cannot  avoid;  then  we  fight  not  alone;  God  himself 
fights  on  our  side,  and  our  victory  is  secure.  "  God  is 
faithfui."  says  St.  Paul,  "  and  he  will  not  suffer  you  to  be 
tempted  beyond  your  strength ;  but  he  will  enable  you  to 
derive  advantage  even  from  temptation,  to  the  end  that  you 
may  persevere."  God*s  word  can  never  fail ;  he  has  pro- 
mised to  deliver  those  who  hope  in  him,  and  to  protect  those 
who  invoke  his  name.  They  will  be  attacked,  but  nothing 
shall  have  power  to  hurt  them  whilst  God  is  their  refuge ; 
he  will  bring  them  victorious  from  the  struggle  ;  temptation 
will  serve  to  perfect  and  to  confirm  their  virtue,  so  that  they 
may  persevere  even  to  the  end. 

Examples. — "  Lord !  the  wound  in  your  side  is  very 
large,"  said  St.  Phillip  de  Neri,  "  but  if  you  do  not  prevent 
me,  1  will  make  it  much  larger  by  my  unfaithfulness." 

"  Leave  me  not  a  moment  to  myself,  oh  Lord !"  said  an 
other  saint,  "  for  if  you  do  I  perish." — "  Where  were  you," 
said  St.  Catherine  of  Sienna,  after  having  undergone  a  vio- 
lent assault  of  the  tempter, — "  Where  were  you,  O  Lord  ?** 
when  she  seemed  to  hear  a  voice  making  answer — "  I  was 
in  the  depth  of  thy  heart  sustaining  thee;  it  was  I  who 
gave  thee  so  great  a  horror  for  the  wicked  thing  that  tho 
devil  suggested  to  thee.'* 


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DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAJf 


ARTICLE   VIII. 

BUT    DELIVER    US   FROM    EVIL. 

We  finish  this  prayer  by  begging  of  God  that  ho  jnay 
deliver  us  from  evil,  that  is  to  say,  from  the  m;  series  of  this 
Mfe,  from  the  enemies  of  our  salvation,  and  from  eternal 
damnation.  To  how  many  evils  are  we  not  exposed  ia  this 
life  !  With  what  bitterness  is  it  not  filled !  Disease  and 
pain  besiege  our  body ;  trouble  and  anxiety,  and  grief  at- 
tack our  spul.  It  is  with  truth  that  the  Church  calls  this 
earth  on  which  we  live  a  valley  of  tears.  We  ask  not  to  be 
entirely  free  from  these  afflictions,  for  such  a  privilege  be- 
longs not  to  our  present  state ;  what  we  ask  is,  that  we  may 
be  delivered  from  what  would  be  to  us  occasions  of  sin, 
and  prejudicial  to  our  salvation.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
regarded  as  a  real  misfortune  but  what  would  interfere  with 
our  justification  in  the  sight  of  God.  If  infirmities,  indi- 
gence, and  calamities  are  called  evils,  it  can  only  be  be- 
cause they  disturb  the  soul,  exposing  it  to  impatience,  mur- 
muring and  despair ;  because  we  hive  not  sufficient  virtue 
to  support  them  without  sin ;  but  those  ills  which  we  bear 
patiently,  far  from  being  prejudicial  to  us,  only  serve  to 
purify  us,  and  contribute  to  our  justification :  these  are 
rather  blessings  than  misfortunes ;  however  painful  they 
may  be,  they  are,  in  the  order  of  Providence,  the  chastise- 
ment of  sin,  and  the  means  of  obtaining  eternal  happiness. 
**  He  must  pass,"  says  the  apostle,  "  through  many  tribula- 
tions and  sufferings,  in  order  to  enter  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  We  are  permitted,  nevertheless,  to  desire  and  to 
ask  to  be  delivered  from  these  evils,  provided  we  prefer  our 
petition  in  a  spirit  of  entire  resignation  to  the  will  of  God, 
and  that  we  be  disposed  to  btar  them  with  submission  if 
God  considers  them  necessary  and  useful  for  our  salvatioiu 
By  praying  thus,  and  persevering  in  prayer,  we  shall  find 
the  true  remedy  for  our  misfortunes,  and  God  will  hear  our 
prayers,  either  delivering  us,  or  giving  us  strength  to  endure 
them,  which  is  still  more  beneficial  to  us. 

Wfo  beg  to  be  delivered  from  the  enemies  of  our  salva- 
tion, and  in  particular  from  tlie  devil,  who  is  our  most  cruel 


TOWARDS    GOD.  307 

csnemy.  That  spirit  of  darkness,  not  content  with  having 
seduced  our  first  parents,  and  drawing  down  on  their  pos- 
terity a  deluge  of  misery,  never  ceases  to  make  war  upon 
us,  aiid  lay  snares  for  our  destruction;  but  God  restrains 
his  fury,  and  prescribes  to  him  bounds  which  he  may  not 
pass.  Finally,  we  ask  of  God  that  He  may  deliver  us  from 
everlasting  damnation,  which  is  the  height  of  all  misfortune, 
the  so"ereign  ill,  the  irreparable,  the  never-ending  calamity. 
It  is,  in  that  abyss  of  wretchedness,  in  that  miserable  eter- 
nity that  there  is  no  more  asking  to  be  delivered ;  there 
the  unhappy  soul  has  to  endure  for  ever  and  ever  the  full 
weight  of  the  d'vine  wrath  and  vengeance.  Then  is  there 
no  more  redemption  to  hope  for,  no  more  happiness  to 
expect,  no  more  salvation  to  seek,  but  a  collection  of  all 
imaginable  miseries  to  be  undergone,  and  that  for  all  eter- 
nity.  With  what  fervency  and  perseverance  should  we  not 
now  beg  to  be  secured  from  that  frightful  doom  ! — Let  us 
then  never  fail  to  repeat  this  prayer  regularly,  whilst  we 
still  have  a  chance  of  bemg  heard  and  saved. 

Example. — The  great  St.  Basil,  archbishop  of  Cesarea, 
ratlier  than  commit  a  sin  by  obeying  the  commands  of 
the  emperor  Valens,  who  was  an  Arian  and  a  persecutor  of 
the  Catholics,  constantly  opposed  his  will.  The  emperor 
ordered  the  prefect  Modestus  to  threaten  the  saint  with 
the  confiscation  of  his  property,  with  banishment,  torments 
and  death,  if  he  still  refused  to  obey.  Basil  said  to  the 
prefect :  "  I  am  proof  against  confiscation,  for  I  possess 
only  a  few  books  and  the  rags  which  cover  me.  For  exile 
— whither  will  you  banish  me  ? — Heaven  alone  is  my 
country.  The  torments  which  you  may  inflict  upon  me 
will  not  be  of  long  duration,  for  I  am  very  weak,  and  I 
shall  esteem  it  a  happiness  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake.  If 
you  think  to  intimidate  me  by  threatening  me  with  death, 
know  that  I  will  receive  it  as  a  great  favour.  To  suffer  all 
— to  lose  all — and  to  die  rather  than  sin."  The  prefect 
went  to  make  his  report  to  the  emperor,  and  said  :  "  Prince, 
We  are  overcome ;  Basil  fears  but  one  thing,  and  that  is  sin." 

Ecclesiastical  History, 


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908 


DUTY    OF  THE    CIIBISTXAIT 


CHAPTER    III. 

OF     TIIK     ANGELICAL     SALUTATION. 

On  Devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

After  God,  the  worthiest  object  of  ou:  homage  and 
veneration,  is  the  Blessed  Virgin,  Mother  of  God  :  she  was 
chosen  before  all  ages  to  be  the  living  tennple  of  eternal 
wisdom,  and  the  glorious  instrument  of  the  salvation  of  men. 
By  her  august  quality  of  Mother  of  God  she  is  elevated 
above  all  saints  and  angels,  whose  queen  she  is.  Hence, 
the  worship  which  the  Church  pays  her  is  of  a  kind  totally 
distinct  from  that  which  she  renders  to  any  other  saint 
Endowed,  from  her  very  conception,  with  the  most  excel- 
lent and  divine  gifts,  she  was  a  perfect  model  ot  all  virtues, 
and  the  holiest  of  all  creatures;  being  exempt  by  a  special 
prerogative,  from  all  sin.  Full  of  tenderness  she  is,  and 
her  heart  is  the  heart  of  a  mother ;  we,  indeed,  became  her 
children  when  Jesus  Christ,  dying  on  the  cross,  gave  her  as 
amotherto  St.  John,  and  through  him  to  all  Christians. 
She  is,  therefore,  our  mother;  what  name  more  tender, 
more  touching,  more  proper  to  inspire  us  for  her  with  sen- 
timents of  entire  confidence,  and  to  make  us  hope  for  that 
assistance  from  her  of  which  we  stand  most  in  need  ?  She 
is  sensible  of  our  misery,  and  her  heart  is  softened  by  our 
wants  when  we  expose  them  to  her  with  confidence. 
"  Never,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "  has  any  one  invoked  her 
without  feeling  the  efl^*»cts  of  her  protection."  She  inter- 
ests hers**lf  particularly  in  the  salvation  of  young  people, 
whose  weakness  she  knows ;  she  knows  the  many  dangers 
to  which  they  are  exposed  ;  she  sees  how  they  are  attacked 
by  the  devil,  the  snares  which  he  lays  for  them,  and  the 
efforts  which  he  makiis  to  deprive  them  of  their  inno- 
cence;  she  protects  them  in  a  special  manner  when  they 
have  recourse  to  her.  There  are  a  thousand  examples  of 
young  persons  whom  she  has  preserved  from  the  dangers 
of  that  age.  To  qrote  but  one,  it  was  through  the  assist- 
ance of  this  queen  of  virgins  that  St.  Francis  of  Sales,  in 
his  youth,  was  delivered  in  a  moment  from  a  dangeious 


Tc'-vards  god. 


309 


temptation  by  which  he  had  leen  long  assailed.  We  may 
conceive  how  powerful  is  her  intercession  with  (iod,  if  we 
remember  that  she  has  with  him  the  influence  of  a  beloved 
mother :  her  power  has  no  bounds,  because  the  love  ol 
Christ  for  his  mother  is  infinite.  Her  Son,  who  is  all- 
powerful,  refuses  nothing  to  the  best,  the  tenderest  of  mo- 
thers ;  he  shares,  if  one  may  say  so,  his  authority  with  her, 
and  there  is  no  mediation  nor  recommendation  so  effica- 
cious with  Jesus  Christ  as  that  of  his  august  mother.  He 
has  placed  her  as  the  arbitress  of  his  treasures,  and  the 
dispenser  of  the  graces  he  bestows  on  men ;  and  it  is  hib 
will  that  we  should  address  ourselves  to  her  to  obtain  an^ 
favour  from  Him.  We  ought,  then,  to  have  recourse  to 
the  Blessed  Virgin  with  the  confidence  of  a  child  who 
throws  itself  into  the  arms  of  its  mother  :  let  us  have  a  ten- 
der devotion  for  her,  and  we  shall  find  that  none  ever  invoke 
her  in  vain  :  let  us  apply  to  her  in  temptation  and  in  dan- 
ger ;  if  any  dark  cloud  oppress  our  mind,  or  any  passion 
agitate  our  heart,  in  our  perplexities,  in  our  troubles,  let  us 
think  of  her,  let  us  have  her  name  on  our  lips,  and  more 
especially  in  our  hearts ;  she  will  console  us,  she  will  dissi- 
pate our  doubts,  she  will  calm  our  agitation,  and  sustain 
our  weakness.  If  we  are  just  she  will  confirm  us  in  virtue, 
she  will  make  us  persevere  and  grow  in  justice.  If  we 
have  had  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  any  sin,  let  us  quickly 
have  recourse  to  that  Mother  of  Mercy :  she  is  the  refuge 
of  sinners,  and  will  reconcile  us  with  her  Son.  Let  us 
pray  her  to  obtain  for  us  the  grace  of  a  sincere  conversion. 
She  will  ask  and  obtain  for  us  that  powerful  aid  which  will 
bring  us  forth  from  the  slavery  of  the  devil  and  restore  us 
to  the  sweet  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  In  whatever 
Btate  wo  may  be  placed,  let  us  consider  the  virtues  which 
shine  forth  in  her,  especially  her  profound  humility  and  her 
inviolable  purity,  and  let  us  apply  ourselves  to  follow  her 
example.  By  living  thus  we  shall  be  of  the  number  of 
her  true  children,  and  she  v/ill  be  our  mother ;  and  whilst 
we  are  under  her  protection  we  can  never  be  lost. 

The  most  excellent  prayer  which  we  can  address  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  is  that  of  which  the  Church  makes  such  fre- 
quent use,  and  which  she  almost  invariably  joins  to  the  Lord'i 


'f 


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■'1 

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810 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


PrHyer.  Th.5  prayer,  so  august  in  its  simplicity,  recalls  to 
our  minds  the  Mystery  of  the  Incarnation ;  it  contains  in 
a  few  words,  the  most  perfect  eulogj'  on  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin ;  and  is  proper  to  excite  our  confidence  by  lerninding 
us  of  her  great  influence  with  God,  and  of  her  great  kind- 
ness and  tenderness  for  us.  This  prayc-  is  called  tht 
Angelical  Salutation,  because  it  commences  with  the  words 
which  the  Angel  Gabriel  addressed  to  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
when  announcing  to  her  the  Mystery  of  the  Incarnation. 
•*  Hail,  Mary,  full  of  grace,  the  Loi  d  is  with  thee ;  blessed 
art  thou  amongst  women."  These  last  words  were  shortly 
after  repeated  6y  St.  Elizabeth  in  the  visit  v'ljich  she  re- 
ceived from  the  Mother  of  God  ;  she  added  the  words : — 
"  4nd  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb."  The  words  which 
follow  were  added  .by  the  Church :  "  Holy  Mary,  Mother 
of  God,  pray  for  us,  sinners,  now  and  at  the  hour  of  our 
death.  Amen."  In  reciting  this  prayer,  we  ought  to  have 
the  intention  of  thanking  (rod  for  the  Mystery  of  the  In- 
carnation,  of  honouring  the  Blessed  Virgin,  who  has  had 
BO  great  a  share  therein,  and  of  testifying  to  her  our  confi- 
dence in  her  powerful  intercession. 

Hail,  Holy  Virgin  !  you  have  borne  in  your  chaste  womb 
the  very  author  of  grace,  and  you  have  received  from  the 
fulness  which  abides  in  Him,  a  superabundance  of  grace 
whereby  you  became  the  most  perfect  of  all  creatures. 
The  Lord  is  with  you  by  the  most  intimate  connexion :  it 
>s  from  you,  and  of  your  substance  that  his  body  was 
formed.  You  were  loaded  with  the  divine  blessings,  and 
earth  agrees  with  heaven  in  blessing  you.  The  fruit  of 
your  womb  is  the  source  of  that  blessing  which  was  shed 
over  the  earth,  and  is  diffused  throughout  all  nations.  Holy 
Mary,  Mother  of  God,  you  behold  our  miseries,  you  are 
sensible  of  our  wants;  pray  for  us  now,  for  we  are  sin- 
ners ;  obtain  for  us  the  grace  of  repentance,  and  pardon 
for  our  sins ;  obtain  for  us  the  virtues  of  which  you  have 
given  us  the  example,  especially  those  of  humility  and 
purity.  Pray  for  "as  at  the  hour  of  our  death.  We  are 
your  children  ;  redouble  your  tender  assistance,  your  efforts 
for  us,  in  that  terrible  passage  from  time  to  eternity,  and 
support  us  in  tha*  last  struggle  ;  strengthen  us  .igainst  the 


T0WARU8    OOD. 


811 


terrors  of  death;  grant  that  kq  may  expire  while  pro- 
nouncing the  sacred  names  of  Jesus  and  of  iry  ;  present 
UP  yourself  at  the  throne  of  your  Son,  who  will  then  bo 
our  judge,  and  obtain  for  us  a  favourable  sentence. 

Examples. — A  soldier  named  Beau-Sejour,  made  it  a 
practice  to  repeat  every  day  seven  Paters  and  seven  Aves 
In  honour  of  the  seven  joys  and  seven  sorrows  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  He  was  so  attached  to  this  practice  that 
be  never  once  failed  in  it ;  and  if  he  sometimes  happened  to 
lay  down  without  having  said  these  prayers,  he  immediately 
rememl>ered  his  omission,  instantly  arose  from  his  bed,  and 
kneeling  down  fulfilled  that  self-imposed  duty.  On  one  oc- 
casion Beau-Sejour  was  on  the  battle-field,  and  standing  in 
the  first  line,  in  front  of  the  enemy,  awaiting  the  signal  for 
the  attack.  Suddenly  he  remembered  that  he  had  not  said 
hir  accustomed  prayers,  and  making  the  sign  of  the  ci'oss, 
he  ig'dn.  His  comrades,  on  either  side,  seeing  him  make 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  perceiving  that  he  was  praying, 
began  to  deride  him,  and  raised  the  laugh  at  his  expense, 
calling  him  coward,  poltroon,  &c.  The  word  went  round 
from  mouth  to  mouth  :  "  Beau-Sejour  is  afraid — he  is  a  de- 
votee." But  he,  no  way  disturbed  by  their  raillery,  calmly 
went  on  with  his  prayers.  Scarcely  had  he  finished  when 
the  enemy  made  a  furious  charge,  and  Beau-Sejour,  without 
a  single  wound,  without  having  received  a  single  stroke, 
stood  alone — of  all  the  front  rank  not  one  escaped  but  he. 
He  saw  extended  at  his  feet  and  on  either  side  all  those 
who  had  so  lately  scofi*ed  at  him  and  mocked  his  devotion. 
When  the  war  was  ended  he  received  his  discharge,  and 
returned  to  his  home  safe  and  sound.  Ever  after,  he  never 
ceased  to  thank  the  Blessed  Virgin  for  having  preserved  in 
him  that  devotioii  for  her  vvhich  his  parents  had  taught  bins 
in  his  eaily  youth.  JVew  Month  of  Mary, 

The  day  of  Lepanto  'vill  be  an  eternal  monument  of  the 
power  of  the  Mother  of  God,  since  it  is  to  her  that  Chris- 
tendoiM  is  indebted  for  that  famous  victory  which  the  Chris- 
tians obtained  over  the  Turks,  in  the  year  1571.  Selim, 
the  son  of  Soliman,  having  made  himself  master  of  the 


i:>y-  .. 


S12 


DUTY   OP   THE    CIIHI8TIAW 


mm} 


M^4 


Island  of  Cyprus,  burst  on  the  Venetians  M'ith  a  powerful 
army,  and  seemed  as  though  he  was  to     onquer  the  entire 
world.     'J'he  holy  Pope  Pius  V.,  Philip  II.,  king  of  Spain, 
and  the  Venetians,  had  joined  their  forces  together  in  order 
to  repulse  the  attaok  of  the  common  enemy.     Although  the 
numbers  of  the  opposing  armies  were  very  unequal,  yet  tite 
Christians,  relying  on  the  protection  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
doubted  not  that  success  would  crown  their  enterprise.    Al 
Europe  was  in  prayer.     The  faithful  hastened  in  crowds  to 
Our  Lady  of  Loretto,  to  implore  the  assistance  of  Heaven, 
through  the  intercession  of  the  Mother  of  God.    Don  Juan  of 
Austria,  the  general-in-chief,  made  a  vow  to  make  a  pilgrim- 
age  to  that  holy  shrine.     The  Christians  ot)tained  what  they 
asked ;  for^  when  the  two  fleets  came  to  an  engagement  go 
the  7th  of  October,  the  enemy  was  defeated,  and  lost  in 
that  battle  (which  lasted  from  six  o'<.^/iock  in  the  inorning 
until  l.ite  in  the  evening),  forty  thousand  men,  one  hundred 
and  sixteen  pieces  of  large  cannon,  Avith  one  hundred  and 
fifty  culverins  ;  one  hundred  and  eighty  galleys  and  seventy 
barks  went  to  the  bottom.     As  soon  as  his  affairs  would 
permit,  Don  Juan  of  Austria,  set  out,  though  it  was  the 
depth  of  winter,  to  accomplish  his  vow,  regardless  of  the 
inclemency  of  the  season. 

It  was  on  this  occasion  that  Pius  the  Fifth  established 
the  solemn  feast  of  the  Rosary,  which  was  afterwards  fixed 
by  Gregory  XIII.  on  the  first  Sunday  of  October. 

Ecclesiastical  History. 

In  the  year  1683,  the  Turks,  proud  of  their  triumph  over 
the  Imperial  army,  resolved  to  push  their  conquests  bpyond 
the  Danube  and  even  across  the  Rhine.     Already  were  their 
countless  legions  marching  on  Vienna,  which  city  they  in- 
tended to  besiege.     Every  one  fled  at  their  approach,  and 
the   Emperor  himself,  Leopold  the  First,  feeling  himself 
unable  to  arrest  that  impetuous  torrent,  hastily  quitted  his* 
capital.     He  went  out  by  one  gate  just  as  the  barbarians 
entered  by  another.     Th'^ir  plan  was  quickly  formed,  their. 
camp  seated,  their  batteries   drawn   up,  and  the  treiicb 
opened  on  the  ii  3ry  eve  of  the  Assumption,  was  cut  witi. 
fearful   rapidity.      To   crown   the  misfortune,  one  of  the 


f. 


TOWARDS    nOD. 


churches  took  fire,  and  the  conflagration  was  fast  gniniut 
on  the  arsenal ;  the  ammunition  would  of  course  be  Uowi^ 
up,  and  an  awful  explosion  was  about  to  take  place,  tht 
forerunner  of  evils  still  greater  if  possible.  But  Mary,  con- 
tinually and  confidently  invoked,  will  never  abandon  those 
who  throw  themselves  into  her  arms :  on  the  day  of  the 
Assumption  the  fire  suddenly  stopped,  and  hope  and  cour- 
age revived  in  hearts  that  wero  before  hopeless. 

The  Turks,  nevertheless,  carried  on  their  enter[)rise  with 
Incredible  activity :  their  formidable  artillery  rained  day  and 
night  on  the  city  a  shower  of  bombs  and  grape-shot,  and  their 
labours  were  so  far  advanced  by  the  31st  of  August,  that  the 
soldiers  on  both  sides  fought  in  the  ditch  with  the  stakes  of 
the  pallisades.  Vienna,  that  rampart  of  Christendom,  al- 
ready reduced  to  a  heap  of  ashes,  was  soon  to  fall  under  the 
yoke  of  the  infidel  Turk.  But  what  may  not  be  obtained 
by  confiding  in  the  Mother  of  God!  On  the  feast  of  the 
Nativity,  the  citizens  and  soldiers  all  redoubled  their  prayers, 
and  that  very  day  intelligence  arrived  that  prompt  and  unex- 
pected succour  was  at  hand.  Soon,  on  the  adjacent  moun- 
tains, banners  were  seen  waving ;  it  was  the  great  Sobicski, 
with  his  gallant  Poles :  their  number  was  small,  it  is  true, 
but  the  blessing  of  Heaven,  drawn  down  by  the  piety  of  the 
leader  and  his  soldiers,  rendered  them  the  scourge  of  the 
barbarians,  the  saviours  of  Vienna,  and  of  Christendom.  On 
the  morning  of  tlie  12th,  Sobieski  assisted  at  mass,  which  he 
served  himself  on  bended  knees,  his  arms  crossed  on  his 
breast ;  he  received  communion,  placed  himself  and  his  sol- 
diers under  the  protection  of  the  Blessed  Virgin — received, 
with  them,  in  the  name  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff",  a  solemn 
blessing  ;  and,  being  filled  with  a  holy  ardour,  and  with  re- 
newed confidence,  he  exclaimed,  "  Let  us  march  now  under 
the  powerful  protection  of  the  Mother  of  God  !" 

Soon  did  the  little  army  behold,  spread  out  before  them, 
the  vast  camp  of  the  infidels,  their  numerouM  squadrons,  and 
their  thundering  artillery. 

The  Poles  were  at  first  struck  with  fear,  and  instantly  ac- 
knowledged that  God  alone  could  give  them  a  victory  ;  but 
thoy  prayed  to  him  with  all  faith,  through  the  intercession  of 
M*ry,  and  already  their  prayers  are  heard      The  Khan  of 

27 


« ,  •  .,.•  ' 

-i;*.-    • 

- 

'-■"i 


•  f 


II      ,    I' 


914 


DUTY    OP    TIIR    rilRISTIATV 


Tartnry,  terrified  by  the  fiist  cl.arge  of  the  f/hriRtinns,  falls 
onck  and  Hies  with  precipitation  ;  he  draws  after  him  the 
Grand  Vizier,  who  is  forced  to  follow,  though  foaming  with" 
rage;  the  route  soon  becomes  general;  the  field  is  covered 
with  the  dead,  and  the  Danube  engulfs  thojisands  of  tlie  fu- 
gitives. All  the  baggage  antl  artillery,  even  the  standard  of 
Mahomet,  falls  into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 

Sobieski,  meanwhile,  made  his  entry  into  Vienna  with  the 
Emperor,  and,  full  of  gratitude  for  the  favour  he  had  received, 
he  himself  chanted  the  Te  Deum  aloud.  Ever  after  that 
pious  Prince  carried  with  him  wherever  he  went  an  imago 
of  Our  Lady  of  Loretto,  which  had  been  miraculously  found; 
upon  it  were  seen  two  angcU,  supporting  a  crown  over 
the  head  of  the  Mo^^er  of  God  ;  and  holding  a  scroll  where- 
on was  inscribed  m  Latin  :  "  By  this  image  of  Mary,  John 
shall  conquer." 

And  we  also,  let  us  doubt  it  not — we  also  shall  conquer 
the  furious  enemies  of  our  salvation,  if  we  have  recourse  to 
the  Queen  of  Heaven  !  Ecclesiastical  History. 


■■t  I  ». 


Hiv 


CHAPTER   IV. 

ON    THE    HAPPINESS   OF   A    CHRISTIAN   LIFE. 

It  is  but  too  common  to  form  a  false  idea  of  the  Christian 
life,  and  to  regard  it  as  gloomy,  painful,  and  cheerless.  Noth- 
ing is  more  false,  nothing  more  unjust,  than  this  so  widely- 
diffused  prejudice  against  virtue  and  piety.  It  is  important, 
dear  children,  to  preserve  yourselves  from  this  dangerous  er- 
ror, or  to  get  rid  of  it,  if  unhappily  you  have  already  adopted 
it ;  it  is  iniportant  to  convince  yourselves  that  happiness  is 
the  lot  of  virtue ;  if  you  doubt  it,  hearken  to  the  Holy  Ghost 
who  assures  you  in  m  thousand  places  of  the  Holy  Scripture, 
that  justice,  which  signifies  the  exact  fulfilment  of  the  law 
of  (iod,  is  ever  accompanied  by  peace  of  mind  and  soul,  and 
by  that  delicious  leeling  which  arises  from  a  good  con- 
science ;  and  consequently,  that  virtue,  and  virtue  alone, 
renders  man  truly  happy.  Every  where  that  He  speaks  of 
fidelity  in  observing  the  law  of  G  od,  He  speaks  also  of  peace 


TOWAHIM    OOD.  315 

M  ina«prr»We  from  righteousness;  anH  with  whfti  energy 
does  He  explain  h/mstif  on  this  liead !  "  ()  my  son  !"  sayi 
he,  "  be  faithful  in  keeping  my  precepts ;  they  shall  ho  to 
tliee  a  source  of  joy  and  peace  ;  he  who  observes  the  law  of 
the  Lord  shall  make  his  dwelling  in  peace."  (l*rov.  13.) 
Observe  that  he  does  not  only  say,  he  shall  find  peace,  he 
shall  enjoy  peace,  but  he  shall  make  his  dwelling  in  peace  ; 
ho  shall  abide  in  it ;  he  shall  be,  as  it  were,  surrounded  by 
the  blessings  of  peace  ;  and  that  peace  shall  be  profound 
and  abillt^dant,  for  lie  compares  it  to  a  river,  whose  salutary 
waters  flow  on  for  over.  Hence  that  pure  and  hvely  joy, 
tliat  solid,  and  lasting,  and  heartfelt  pleasure,  v/hich  is  tasted 
only  by  the  just.  Happy  is  he  then  whose  delight  it  is  to 
obsei*ve  the  laws  of  God ! — he  shall  be  like  a  stately  tree, 
planted  by  the  running  water,  bearing  excellent  fruit,  and 
unfading  foliage.  These  are  the  very  words  of  the  prophet. 
Nor  is  the  promise  of  Christ  in  the  Gospel  less  formal,  or 
less  positive  ;  he  declares  in  clear  and  precise  terms  that  his 
yoke  is  sweet  and  his  burden  light,  and  that  they  who  bear 
it  find  peace  of  mind.  It  is  then  a  truth  founded  on  the 
word  of  God,  that  a  Christian  life  is  a  happy  life,  and  that 
true  happiness  is  only  to  be  found  in  the  exact  fulfilment  of 
the  law  of  God.  This  truth  is  also  confirmed  by  experience. 
I  am  about  to  cite  for  you  a  witness,  whose  testimony  can- 
not be  doubted — a  witness  who  has  tried  both  situations, 
the  life  of  a  sinner  and  that  of  the  just,  I  mean  St.  Angus- 
tine.  Before  his  conversion  he  had  led  a  sensual  and  worldly 
life,  and  had  passed  many  years  in  utter  forgetfulness  of 
God,  and  in  the  indulgence  of  his  passions.  Recalled,  at 
length,  to  virtue,  hear  what  he  says  in  the  Book  of  his  Con 
fessions:  "  My  God,  thou  hast  broken  my  bonds  ;  may  niy 
heart  and  my  tongue  praise  thee  for  ever,  because  thou  hast 
given  me  grace  to  embrace  thy  sweet  yoke,  and  the  light 
burden  of  thy  law.  How  much  sweetness  and  pleasure  have 
I  found  in  renouncing  the  vain  pleasures  of  the  world !  What 
joy  have  I  felt  in  giving  up  what  I  had  most  feared  to  lose ! 
For  thou  who  art  the  oidy  true  pleasure  capable  of  filling  a 
Boul,  in  withdrawing  me  from  those  false  pleasures,  thou 
didst  enter  and  take  their  place  ;  oh  !  thou,  the  true  and  so- 
vereign delight,  my  mind  was  already  freed  from  the  piero- 


\* 


...:.  i 

■  rf . 

' ':' 

'   it   ^ 

• 

t            '     •  m. 

■-'••f.'-ll 


■  .■t 


I 


hi  -  ■f^'t  I, 


816 


DUTY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 


K 


>■ 


rin'  '■ 


?^ 


it 


ing  anguish  arising  from  ambition,  avarice,  and  the  desire 
of  plunging  into  the  filtliy  pleasures  of  voluptuousness,  and 
I  began  to  taste  the  sweets  of  conversing  with  thee,  oh,  my 
God  !  who  art  my  light,  my  treasure,  and  my  salvation." 

You  see,  my  children,  that  a  life  of  sin  and  disorder  is  a 
hard  bondage,  wherein  one  is  torn  by  continual  uneasiness; 
a  virtuous  life,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  life  of  sweetness,  and 
full  of  consolation.  It  is  true  that  self  must  be  conquered, 
and  the  passions  restrained ;  but  that  self-resistance  costs 
little  to  a  soul  that  has  tasted  God  ;  the  sacrifices  made 
are  well  repaid  by  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience,  and 
by  that  hope  of  eternal  happiness  which  fills  the  soul  with 
joy.  What  St.  Augustine  experienced,  is  also  the  case 
with  all  who  serve  God  like  him.  Do  you  not  know  sev- 
eral ]jersons  who  are  remarkable  for  the  faithful  fulfihiiont 
of  their  duties?  Behold  that  pure  and  innocent  joy,  that 
simple  and  modest  gaiety,  and  that  evenness  of  temper, 
wheieby  they  are  distinguished.  The  serenity  of  their  soul 
is  painted  on  their  face ;  the  profound  calm  which  they  en- 
joy, and  the  peace  of  their  heart  shine  forth,  if  one  may 
say  so,  on  their  brow.  Undoubtedly,  that  calm,  that  bless- 
ed peace,  is  the  fruit  of  virtue.  But,  why  have  recourse  to 
foreign  examples  ?  Have  you  not  yourselves  felt  the  hap- 
piness that  accompanies  virtue  ?  Remember  that  period  of 
your  youth  when,  touched  by  the  grace  of  God,  you  puri- 
fied your  soul  from  sin ;  when  admitted  for  the  first  time  to 
the  Holy  Table,  you  experienced  how  sweet  the  Lord  is  to 
those  who  love  him.  '  Then  your  heart,  disengaged  from 
the  bond?  of  the  passions,  and  made  pure  in  the  sight  of 
God,  tasted  but  Him,  desired  but  Him,  sighed  only  for 
Him! 

With  what  joy  was  your  heart  then  filled  !  how  delicious 
the  peace  that  pervaded  your  soul!  how  sweet  were  the 
tears  you  shed  on  the  bosom  of  so  kind  a  Father!  how 
you  then  desired  to  be  ever  in  that  happy  state,  and  never 
to  depart  from  it ! — Confess  it,  and  you  render  homage  to 
religion  ! — Never,  no  never  did  you  pass  happier  moments  ; 
that  day  was  the  fairest  and  the  brightest  of  all  your  life. 
Then  you  understood  that  truth,  that  happiness  i»  only  to 
be  found  in  serving  the  Lord ;  then  you  were  penetrated 


the  desire 
usncss,  and 
lee,  oh,  my 
ilvation." 
lisorder  is  a 
uneasiness ; 
ietness,  and 

con(iuered, 
itance  costs 
'ifices  made 
jcience,  and 
[6  soul  with 
30  the  case 
t  know  sev- 
ul  fulfihiicnt 
int  joy,  that 

of  temper, 
of  their  soul 
ich  they  en- 

if  one  may 
I,  that  bless- 

recourse  to 

elt  the  hap- 

lat  period  of 

,  you  puri- 

first  time  to 
e  Lord  is  to 

gaged  from 

;he  sight  of 

ed  only  for 

ow  delicious 
et  were  the 
ather!  how 
3,  and  never 
homage  to 
jr  moments ; 
all  your  life, 
s  h  only  to 
e  penetrated 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


317 


with  the  sentiments  which  animated  the  Prophet  when  he 
said  "  Yes,  my  God,  a  single  day  passed  in  thy  service  is 
better  than  whole  years  in  the  company  of  sinners." 

If  you  have  preserved  these  sentiments  of  piety,  that  pre. 
cious  taste  for  virtue,  bless  the  Lord  for  it ;  you  are  ut  no 
loss  to  understand  what  I  said  on  the  happiness  of  a 
Christian  life ;  if,  on  the  contrary,  that  virtue  which  former- 
ly had  so  many  rharms  lor  you,  is  now  become  importu- 
nate and  irksome,  the  fault  rests  altogether,  with  yourself, 
and  your  want  of  fidelity  in  the  performance  of  your  duty. 
If  you  had  constantly  walked  in  the  ways  of  God,  you 
would  ever  hcive  enjoyed  undisturbed  peace.  But  you  have 
still  a  resource, — make  at  once  a  generous  resolution  to 
observe  exactly  the  law  of  God,  and  to  repress  the  very 
first  motions  of  reluctance.  Return  to  your  Father !  a 
sigh  disarms  him,  and  He  is  appeased  by  a  tear.  You  will 
goon  feel  within  your  soul  those  interior  consolations  and 
that  meflable  delight  which  formed  your  happiness  in  the 
days  of  your  innocence. 

Can  any  one  be  unhappy  when  serving  you.  Oh  my  God, 
you  who  are  the  source  of  all  good?  No,  Lord,  no;  your 
yoke  is  sweet,  and  your  burden  light.  You  have  created 
us  for  yourself,  and  our  heart  is  incessantly  agitated  until 
it  reposes  in  you.  Vainly  would  I  seek  for  happiness  else- 
where, for  I  should  find  but  phantom  pleasures  which  would 
weary  my  empty  heart,  or  else  real  evils  which  would  fill 
it  with  trouble  and  anxiety.  You  have  told  us.  Oh  my  God, 
that  for  the  wicked  there  is  no  peace :  poignant  remorse, 
continual  apprehension,  and  consuming  grief,  such  is  their 
inevitable  doom.  He  who  has  iniquity  in  his  heart,  has 
also  trouble  and  alarm.  But  how  difl^erent  is  the  lot  of  a 
soul  that  serves  you.  Oh  my  God !  it  is  ever  tranquil,  ever 
content,  ever  happy.  It  has,  without  doubt,  many  sacri- 
fices to  make,  but  the  unction  of  your  grace  renders  them 
light  and  easy,  nay,  even  agreeable  ;  it  has  pains  tp  suffer, 
but  how  slight  they  are  amid  the  consolations  wherewith 
you  till  it.  I  hesitate  not,  therefore,  Oh  Lord,  to  rang«  my- 
self on  the  side  of  virtue,  persuaded  as  I  am,  that  tin-  litie 
of  the  just  is  a  thousand  times  more  pleasant  than  that  ol 
ihe  wicked.     I  will  be  faithful  in  the  observance  of  youi 


»    ■■■■&  1  •i' 

I'm 


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318 


DUTY  OP  THE  CHRISTIAIf 


pi. 


holy  law,  and  by  that  fidelity  I  shall  procure  for  myself  all 
the  happiness  that  this  earth  can  afford,  and  that  perfect 
bliss  in  heaven  which  you  reserve  for  those  who  lead  a 
Christian  life. 

Example. — At  a  time  when  a  purple  fever  was  making 
terrific  ravages,  in  the  capital,  amongst  the  poor  who  had 
not  time  to  drag  themselves  to  the  Hotel  Dieu,  the  commu- 
nity of  the  priests  of  St.  Marcel,  being  unable  themselves  to 
attend  to  all  the  dying,  had  called  in  the  assistance  of  the 
begging  friars.  A  venerable  capuchin  was  passing  along 
and  entered  a  low  shed  where  there  was  one  lying  ill  of 
the  fearful  malady.  He  was  an  old  man,  apparently  dying, 
and  extended  on  some  filthy  rags.  He  was  alone !  a  bun- 
dle of  hay  was  his  bed ;  not  an  article  of  furniture  was 
visible ;  not  even  a  seat ;  he  had  sold  every  thing  in  the 
first  days  of  his  illness  to  procure  a  little  broth.  On  the 
black,  discoloured  wall  hung  a  crucifix,  a  hatchet,  and  two 
saws.  These  were  all  his  wealth,  together  with  his  arms, 
when  he  could  use  them,  but  then  they  were  lying  power- 
less, for  he  was  unable  to  move  them.  "  Have  courage, 
friend,"  said  the  confessor,  "  this  is  a  special  grace  that 
God  now  gives  you ;  you  are  on  the  point  of  quitting  this 
»vorld,  where  you  have  had  nought  but  pain  and  trouble — " 
"  Trouble,"  interrupted  the  dying  man  in  a  faint  voice, 
"  you  are  entirely  mistaken, — I  never  murmured  at  my  lot ; 
the  sight  of  my  crucifix  consoled  me  in  all  my  toil  and  pri- 
vation— religion  made  me  happy,  and  I  lived  content.  The 
tools  which  you  see  there  procured  bread  for  me,  and  I  ate 
it  with  satisfaction,  without  ever  envying  the  rich,  or  covet- 
ing their  dainty  fare.  I  was  poor,  but  with  health  and  the 
fear  of  God,  I  never  wanted  any  necessaries.  If  I  recover, 
which  I  do  not  expect,  I  will  return  to  the  timber-yard,  and 
continue  to  bless  the  hand  of  God  which  has  hitherto  pre- 
served me.  Oh  Father !  how  lovely  is  religion — and  what 
precious  treasures  it  contains :  peace,  contentment,  and 
happiness,  are  the  lot  of  those  who  love  it." 

The  confessor,  as  edified  as  surprised  by  such  language, 
could  not  refrain  from  expressing  his  astonishment;  and 
after  returning  thanks  to  God  for  the  favour  of  condue4« 


I 

I 
f 


Ci 


ruage, 
,  and 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


319 


Ing  him  to  that  wretched  hovel  he  said  to  the  sick  man  . 
'*  Although  this  life  has  not  been  painful  to  you,  you  must 
nevertheless  make  up  your  mind  to  leave  it,  for  the  will  of 
God  must  be  obeyed."  "  Certainly,"  replied  the  dying 
man,  with  a  firm  voice,  and  an  animated  look,  "  every  on« 
must  go  in  their  turn  ;  I  knew  how  to  live,  and  I  know  how 
to  die  :  I  thank  God  for  having  given  me  life  and  for  bring- 
ing me  through  death  to  reign  with  Him.  I  feel  my  last 
moment  approaching,  so  you  will  please  to  give  me  the 
rites  of  the  Church,  for  that  is  all  I  want  now."  That 
man  died  as  he  had  lived,  a  child  of  grace,  leaving  his  con- 
fessor and  neighbours  who  witnessed  his  death  full  of  ad- 
miration for  the  power  of  Religion  over  a  heart  that  is  do- 
cile to  the  suggestions  of  gr..ce. 


THE     END. 


A   PROFESSION    OF   FAITH. 

1.  I  BBrLiEVE  that  there  is  but  one  God,  and  that  there 
could  not  be  more  than  one. 

2.  I  believe  that  there  are  three  persons  in  God,  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  these  three  persons  be- 
ing but  one  God,  and  not  three,  because  they  have  but  one 
and  the  same  nature  and  divinity. 

3.  I  believe  that  the  Son  of  God,  the  second  person  of 
the  most  Holy  Trinity,  was  made  man  for  love  of  us,  and 
died  on  a  cross  to  satisfy  God  for  our  sins,  to  deliver  us 
from  the  pains  of  hell,  and  to  merit  for  us  eternal  life. 

4.  I  believe  that  they  who  have  lived  well  while  in  this 
world,  and  died  in  the  state  of  grace,  shall  be  rewarded, 
after  death,  with  eternal  bliss  in  heaven,  where  they  shall 
see  God  as  He  really  is. 

5.  I  believe  that  they  who  have  lived  badly,  and  died  in 
mortal  sin,  shall  be  damned,  that  is  to  say,  deprived  of  the 
sight  of  God,  and  left  to  burn  in  hell  for  all  oternity. 


'.  .1' 


■'  'it' 


I-  'ilM 
:  -'f  f  II  i 

11; 


•SjiliMlH 


320 


DUTY    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN 


6.  I  believe  that  there  are  ten  commatidments  of  God,  and 
that  we  are  bound  to  observe  them  all ;  I  believe  also  that 
we  are  to  obey  the  Church,  whose  commandments  are  usu- 
ally six  in  number. 

7.  I  believe  that  it  is  sufficient  to  have  committed  one  mor. 
tal  sin  and  die  in  that  state  to  be  consigned  to  eternal  tor* 
nient. 

8.  I  believe  that  it  is  necessary  often  to  have  recourse  to 
prayer  and  that  one  cannot  be  saved  without  praying  to 
God. 

9.  I  believe  that  there  are  seven  Sacraments :  Baptism, 
Confirmation,  Penance,  Eucharist,  Extreme  Unction,  Holy 
Orders,  and  Matrimony. 

10.  I  believe  that  Baptism  effaces  both  Original  and  Ac- 
tual Sin,  and  makes  us  Christians  ;  that  Penance  remits  the 
sins  committed  after  Baptism  ;  and  that  the  Eucharist  really 
contains  the  body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity  of  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  under  the  appearance  of  bread  and  wine. 


1^ 


PIOUS   PRACTICES. 

A  TRUE  child  of  Mary  applies  himself  to  fulfil  with  fidel- 
ity the  duties  of  a  good  Christian,  and  to  that  end  he  should 
observe  what  follows : — 

1.  He  will  often  have  recourse  to  prayer  in  his  necessi- 
ties, and  will  never  fail  to  say  devoutly  his  morning  and 
evening  prayers,  and  to  assist  at  the  Holy  Mass  every  day, 
if  it  be  possible. 

2.  He  will  say  every  day  some  prayers  in  honour  of  Mary, 
such  as  the  Memorare,  (the  prayer  of  St.  Bernard,)  the  Salve 
Regina,  or  a  decade  of  the  Rosary. 

3.  Every  day  he  will  read  a  portion  of  some  pious  book, 
such  as  the  Holy  Gospel,  the  Imitation  of  Christ,  or  the 
Lives  of  the  Saints,  and  take  care  to  avoid  reading  any  bad 
books.  He  will  every  day  give  to  his  parents  some  marks 
of  respect 

4  He  will  only  associate  with  prudent  friends,  and  will 
shun  libertines  as  he  would  serpents. 


|i    i 


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od,  and 
Iso  that 
are  U3U> 


me  mor. 
rnal  tor* 

ourse  to 
^ying  to 

iaptism, 
111,  Holy 

and  Ac- 
mits  the 
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ith  fidel- 
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necessi- 
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ery  day, 

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us  book, 

t,  or  the 

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and  wiU 


TOWARDS    GOD. 


S2I 


5.  He  will  try  to  quit  the  state  of  mortal  sin,  if  he  has 
had  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  it. 

6.  On  Sundays  and  holy  days  he  will  assist  with  devotioi* 
at  the  Holy  Mass,  and  the  other  offices  of  the  Church.  He 
will  confess  and  receive  Communion,  at  least  once  a  month 
according  to  the  advice  of  his  Confessor  ;  and  on  the  day  ol 
his  Communion  he  will  say  a  Pater  and  an  Ave  for  the  liv 
ing  and  the  dead  belonging  to  the  Church.^ 

»  7.  Lastly,  he  will  never  forget  that  he  is  on  the  earth  only 
to  serve  God,  and  that  his  eternal  happiness  or  eternal  mi- 
sery depends  on  the  performance  of  that  duty. 

Praised  and  glorified  for  ever  be  the  adorable  Sacrament 
of  the  Altir ! 


PRAYER 


TO  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN. 


Most  Holy  Mother  of  God !  humbly  prostrate  at  thy  sa 
cred  feet,  1  offer  myself  to  thee,  as  the  protectress  of  my 
youth ;  I  present  to  thee  my  homage  and  my  love  as  the 
Queen  of  Angels  and  of  men  ;  I  revere  thee  as  the  Mother 
of  the  Incarnate  Word.  I  will  now  choose  thee  as  my 
mother,  in  order  to  obtain  by  thy  powerful  intercession  all 
the  assistance  of  which  I  stand  in  need  in  the  troubles  and 
afflictions  which  may  befall  me.  Preserv^^  me,  oh  sacred 
Virgin !  from  all  evil,  and  especially  from  bin,  which  would 
deprive  me  of  the  happiness  of  seeing  thee,  loving  thee,  and 
contemplating  thee  in  the  regions  of  bhss,  "Vhere  T  beg  of 
thee  to  prepare  for  me  a  place.     Amen. 

Blessed  be  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Kl«»?i'«M 
Virgin  Mary,  Mothei  of  God, 


1<  •  '  •     • 

'  ■  p  -■ 


."'^.feJ'i; 


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322 


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mm^ 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


FIRST    PART.— FIRST    TREATISE. 

ON    THE    KNOWLEDGE    AND    LOVE    OF    GOD. 
Introduction  ....  p^g^  j 

CHAP.  I. — Of  the  Creed,  which  is  the  abridgement  of  the 

truths  of  Faith, — Art  I.— Of  the  Apostles'  Creed  in  general,    11 

13 
17-20 
29 
25 
fi 
34 
34-37 
38 
40 
44 


Article  II. — Necessity  of  Revelation, 
Article  III. — Existence  of  God, — Art.  IV.- 

Article  V. — Perljection  of  God, 
Article  VI. — MyRery  of  the  Holy  Trinity, 


-Unity  of  God, 


Article  VII.— The  Creation, 
CHAP.  II.— Of  the  Angels  and  of  Man, 
Article  I. — Of  the  Angels, — Article  II. — Of  Man, 
Article  III. — On  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul, 
Article  IV.— On  the  Fall  of  Man, 
CHAP.  III. — Article  I. — The  Promise  of  a  Redeemer, 
Article  II. — Developmeni  of  the  Promise — Future  Conversion 

of  the  Gentiles,      ...  46 

CHAP.  IV. — Article  I. — On  the  Mystery  of  the  Incarnation,      51 

Article  II. — The  Mystery  of  the  Incarnation,  (continued)  53 

Article  III. — Birth  of  Jesus  Christ,  -  -  -        55 

Article  IV. — Doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  -  -  5S 

Article  V. — Life  and  Miracles  of  Chri.st,  -  -        62 

Article  VI. — On  the  Virtues  of  Our  Lord,       -  -  65 

CHAP.  V. — Article  I. — Jesus  Christ  suffered  under  Pontius 

Pilate ;  was  crucified  -  -  -        67 

Article  II. — Dead,  and  buried,  -  -  -  73 

CHAP.  VI. — Descended  into  hell,  the  third  day  he  arose  again 

from  the  dead, — Article  I. — He  descended  into  hell,  75 

Article  II. — The  third  day  he  arose  again  from  the  dead,  76 

Article  III. — Proofs  of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ,  -        79 

CHAP.  VII. — He  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  at  the  right 

hand  of  God,         ...  86 

CHAP.  VIII. — From  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  living 
and  the  dead — Art.  I.— On  death,— Art.  II.— On  Judgment,  88-92 


CHAP.  IX.— I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
CHAP.  X.— I  believe  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church, 
Article  I. — Establishment  of  the  Church,     - 
Article  II. — The  Establishment  of  the  Christian  Church  (cen 

tinued,) — Fortitude  of  the  Martyrs, 
A'ticle  III. — Marks  of  the -Church, 
Article  IV. — On  the  authority  of  the  Church, 

Article  V. — Without  the  Church  there  is  no  salvation,     - 
Article  VI. — The  Communion  of  Saints, 
CHAP.  XI. — I  believe  in  the  Remission  of  Sins,   - 
CHAP.  XII.— Tho  Resurrection  of  the  flesh,    - 
CHAP.  XIII. — I  lelieve  in  Life  everlasting. 

Article  I. — Of  Purgator ', — Art.  II. — Of  Heaven, 
Article  III.— Of  Hell, 


95 
97 
99 


101 

-  105 
106 

-  109 
113 

.       115 
117 

-  120 
120-123 

127 


CHAP.  XIV 


and  the  sign 


139 


CONTENTS. 


32i 


SE. 


Pag« 

»  3 

\e 

neral, 

11 

. 

13 

d,    n-20 

29 

. 

28 

fi 

. 

34 

34-37 

38 

• 

40 

44 

ersion 

46 

tion, 

51 

d) 

53 

55 

58 

. 

62 

65 

'ontius 

. 

67 

73 

!  again 

75 

d, 

76 

79 

B  right 

86 

living 

ent,  88-92 

95 

^ 

97 

99 

I (cen- 

101 

« 

105 

106 

. 

109 

113 

. 

115 

117 

. 

120 

120-133 

127 

e  sign 


SECOND   TREATISE. 

ON   THE   LOVB   OF   GOD    AND   OVR    NEIGHBOUR  Pao« 

CHAP.  I. — Of  the  Commandments  in  general,  -  I3J 

CHAP.  li.— On  the  first  Commandment  of  God :  «'  I  am  the 

Lord,  thy  God,  &c.— Art.  I.— Of  Faith,  132 

Article  II.— Of  Hope,— Article  III.— Of  Charity,       -       1S6.139 
Art,  IV. — Of  Adoration, — Art.V. — Respect  due  to  Churches,  142146 
CHAP.  III.— On  the  second  Commandment  of  God:  "Thou 

shalt  not  take  the  name,  &c."  -  -       148 

CHAP.  IV. — On  the  third  Commandment :  "  Reinember  to  keep 

holy  the  Sabbath  day,"       -  -  153 

CHAP.  V. — Of  the  fourth  Commandment :  "  Honour  thy  father 
and  thy  mother  that  thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land,"         155 
CHAP.  VI.— Of  the  fifth  Commandment:  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  IGO 
CHAP.  VII.— Of  the  sixth  Commandment:  "Thou  shalt  not 

commit  adultery,"  -  -  16J> 

CHAP.  VIII.— Of  the  seventh  Commandment:  "  Thou  shalt  not 

steal,"  -  .  -  -       170 

CHAP.  IX.— Of  the  eighth  Commandment :  "  Thou  shalt  not 

bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour,"     174 
CHAP.  X.— Of  the  ninth  Commandment :  "  Thou  shalt  not 

covet  thv  neighbour's  wife,"  -  17S 

^HAP.  XI  —Of  the  tenth  Commandment.  "Thou  shalt  not 

covet  thy  ni.Mghbour's  goods,"  -       ISO 

CHAP.  XII.— On  the  Commandments  of  the  Church,   -  182 

Article  I. — Of  the  first  Commandment  of  the  Church :  "  Holy 

days  than  shalt  sanctify,"  -  183 

Article  II. — On  the  second  Commandment  of  the  Church  : 

"  Sundays  a;.d  holydays  mass  thou  shalt  hear,"  186 
Article  III. — On  the  third  Commandment :  "  Confess  thy  sins 

at  least  once  every  year."  -  -       188 

Article  IV. — On  the  fourth  Commandment :  "  Receive  your 

God  about  great  Easter-day,  -  190 

Article  V. — On  the  fifth  Commandment :  "  Lent,  Ember-days, 

and  Vigils  thou  shalt  fast."  -  -       192 

Article  VI. — On  tbo  sixth  Commandment :  Fridays  and  Satur- 

d^iys  flesh  thou  shalt  not  taste,"  -  19\ 

CHAP.  XIII.— Of  Sin,  ....  -199 

CHAP.  XIV.— Of  the  Capital,  or  deadly  Sins— Art.  I.— Pride,  201  -202 

Article  II. — OnCovetousness, — Article  III. — On  Luxury,  204-207 

Article  IV.— On  Envy,— Article  V.— On  Gluttony,  209-211 

Article  VI.— On  Anger,— Article  VII.— On  Sloth,     -        2ll-2i5 

SECOND   PART. 

ON   THE    SACRAMENTS   AND   PRAYER. 


129 


FIRST    TREATISE. 

ON    THE    SACRAMENTS. 

Ihtroduction     On  the  necess'ty  of  Grace,  and  the  means  of 
obtaining  it,  ^  - 


ftif 


\ 


''Tit'-  'i!''?''  n 


^     ? 


m 


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.i 


m. 


9^A 

CHAP.  T. 

CHAP.  n. 

Article  I. 

Article  H, 

Article  HI. 

Article  IV. 

CHAP.  III. 

Aiticle  II. 

Article  III. 

CHAP.  IV. 

Article  I. 

Article  II 

Article  III. 

Article  IV. 

Article  V. 

Article  VI.. 

Article  VII. 

Article  VIll. 

Article  IX. 

CHAP.  V. 

Article  I.- 

Article  IT. 

Article  HI.- 

Arlicle  IV.- 

Article  V.- 

Article  VI.- 

CTIAP.  VI.- 

CHAP.  VII.- 

CHAP.  VIII.- 


C0NTENT8. 

— Of  the  Sacraments  in  General,          -              -  22(] 

— On  Baptism,         •                          .               .  J23 

— Necessity  ol"  this  Sacrament,             -              -  223 

— The  Minister    of    the    Sacrament  of  Baptism,  220 

— On  the  Ceremonies  of  Baptism,                -  227 

—Of  the  Baptismal  Vows,         ...  230 

— Art.  I. — On  the  nature  and  effects  of  Confirmation  231 

— On  the  Dispositions  for  Confirmation,      -  234 

— Of  the  obligations  imposed  by  Confirmation,  23G 

— Of  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,          -              -  238 

— Nature,  form,  and  necessity  of  Penance,  23S 

—Of  Contrition,           ....  241 

— Of  the  Firm  Purpose,     ...  243 

—Of  Confession,           ....  246 

—On  the  Examination  of  Conscience,         -  24S 

—On  Sacrilegious  Confession,              -              -  2r)0 

— On  the  Manner  of  Confessing,    .              •  253 

—On  Satisfaction,          ...              .  255 

—Of  Indulgences,          .    -            .              -  257 

—Of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,                -  260 

—Institution  of  the  Eucharist. — Transubstantiation  260 

—On  the  Dispositions  for  receiving  the  Eucharist,  262 

—On  the  Effects  of  the  Eucharist,               -  265 

—Of  Bad  Communion,              -  ,         -              -  268 

—On  frequent  Communion,            -              -  270 

—On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,            -              -  273 

—Of  Extreme  Unction,      ...  276 

-Of  Holy  Orders,        ...              -  278 

—Of  the  Sacrament  of  Marriage,  -              -  281 

SECOND   TREATISE. 

ON   PRAYER. 

CHAP.  I. — Of  Prayer  in  general, — Art.  I. — Necessity  of  Prayer  235 

■■------'  288 

290 
292 
292 
295 
296 
298 
300 


Article  IT. — Efficacy  of  Prayer, 
Article  III. — Qualities  of  Prayer,  .  .  - 

CHAP.  II.— Of  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
Article  I. — Of  what  is  to  be  asked  of  God,    - 
Ariicle  IT. — Hallowed  by  thy  name,  ... 

Article  ITT. — Thy  Kingdom  come. 

Article  IV. — Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven. 
Article  V. — Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread. 
Article  VI. — Forgive  us  our  trespajses,  as  we  forgive  them 

who  trespass  against  us, 
Article  VII. — And  lead  us  not  into  Temptation,     - 
Article  VITI. — But  deliver  us  from  evil,  ... 
CHAP.  III.— Devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
CHAP.  IV. — On  the  happiness  of  a  Christian  Life, 
,  Profession  OF  Faith, 
Pious  Practices,         ..... 

Pf  ATER  TO  THE  BlessED  VlBGIIf.  • 


302 
304 
306 
308 
314 
319 
320 
3'il 


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223 

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220 

■ 

227 

- 

230 

•mation  231 

234 

ion, 

236 

. 

233 

238 

. 

241 

» 

243 

. 

246 

» 

24S 

. 

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253 

• 

255 

m 

257 

- 

260 

ntiation  260 

charist 

,  262 

265 

. 

268 

. 

270 

. 

273 

. 

276 

. 

278 

■ 

281 

m 


;  Prayer  235 

-  288 
290 

.  292 
292 

-  295 
298 
298 
300 


i^en, 


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302 
304 
306 
308 
314 
319 
320 


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8CHOOU   BOOKS 

PUBLISHED  BY  D.  &  J.  SADLIER  &  CO. 


THB  MBIBOFOLITAN  HXTJSTItATED  BEAD£RS« 

Ck»mpll«d  hj  R  ntMBber  of  th«  Order  of  the  Holy  Crocs. 

The  Ketropolitan  Firit  Eeader—Roy»i  i8mo,  120  pp.,  00  cuu 

The  Uetropolitan  Beeond  Eeader— Roy»i  l8mo,  aie  pagM. 

The  Uetropolitan  Third  Beader— iJlu'»w*ted-   I2ma 

The  Metropolitan  Foiurth  Keader—i*«no,  4M  pagw.  \ 

The  Metrop^tan  fifth  Beader;  or  Book  of  OrAtory— la  iMrtw,  end 

will  ba  reiidjr  aX  aa  oarlj  day.  ^ 

The  Metropolitan  lUxlstrated  Speller 

The  niuetrated  Speller  and  Deflner— Wif.  1000  cnli^     ^»^ . 

The  Oolden  Primer-^inustratc*^  witu  so  out*.   Paper,    f^    ,  !fl^ 

do  do        stiff  cover.  .       ,  ^ 

THE  jilHBISTIAJI  B&OTHEBS^  SEBIES. 

Ffret  Book— New  and  enla.'fred  edit^n.    73  pagen,  atiff  coven. 
Second  Book— New  and  enlarged  editioat    Half  bound. 
Third  Book— Netf  and  enlarged  edtUOn.    85('  ?agei,  ISmo 
The  Duty  of  a  Christian— Translated  from  t^e  Frencb  of  Da  liA  SilUL 
By  Mn.  J.  Saoukr.    12mo.    Half  boand.        -   ,    w 

Carpenter's  Scholar's  Sp^ng  Assistant^    '^ 
Mnrray's  Grammar— AbrMged  by^i^i) 

Finnock's  Cateohism  of  6eon||ll7~'i(|^^'*°'' 
Table  Book— ^r  the  Brotbnir«rtlie€h|||B|  Seboola. 
Stepping  Stone  to  Geography 

imoH^ 


LV 


^ted  States*. 


Stepping  Stone  to  English  Grai 
The  Spelling  Book  Sn|K»r8eded 
Jirit  Book  of  Histofy— By  John 
Shea's  Elementary  History 

,^e  American  Fractieal  Ar 

The  American  Primary  i^d^agli^ 

Oram's  Table  Book;  o'l  imppi^^tonM  .to  TnteneiBtnal  and  Praetleal 

Arithmetic.  /  ;  *. 

Bl^idge's  Algebra— Wi^  Add!n{|o«, ty  tlie  Brethers  of  the  CSirtotian 

Schools.    Salf  boanjjt  ■        "Jj^'"     *"  ■     .  ^ 

Bridge's  Ancient  HUtory^r^  ^ 

Bridge's  Voderu  fiiA^^ 

fiusGs's  AnotiM  aft  die'bat  CowptndiumM  ef  Antimt  ati4 Modem  Bittory 
that  iM  kmw  <(f.  ^Jk^itwuld  U  in  tae  in  M  9ur  CaOuiie  Sch<»l$. 

A  Iibe:ra1  djpoant  allowed  to  Schools  and  Collegef.    ipy  School  Book  pub^ 
lUhed  in  tl^lJaUed  Statei  can  b«  supplied  at  publUher'f  )tfboIeiiaIe  prioee. 


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